The European Union and Canada are working to build a new comprehensive partnership that should cover everything from trade to security, as transatlantic partners seek to form a new alliance to counterbalance the global power dynamics dominated by the United States and China.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the EU’s top executive, is expected to announce the plans during her State of the Union address in Strasbourg, France, on September 16, according to people familiar with the discussions. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend the event and will speak to the European Parliament the following day.
The deepening of the partnership with the European Union has become one of the Carney government’s top priorities. According to a Canadian official who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity, Ottawa is evaluating all options for integration except formal membership in the bloc. The talks are especially focused on strategic capabilities, such as defense, space exploration, and scientific research.
It is not yet clear whether new legal instruments will be required to formalize the partnership, but negotiations continue. The Canadian government also intends to consult provinces and industry representatives before moving forward.
In a speech at the World Economic Forum earlier this year, Carney argued that the “rules-based international order” was essentially dead and advocated for the creation of a new global architecture led by middle powers to face pressures and intimidation from the major powers. Not directly naming U.S. President Donald Trump, he argued that new alliances could serve as a last line of defense against countries that utilize their economic and military power unilaterally.
A spokesperson for Carney’s office declined to comment. A representative of the European Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The final content of von der Leyen’s speech is still being drafted and could change before its presentation.
The agreements under discussion are expected to cover all areas of the Canada-European Union relationship, including trade, security, supply chains, and critical minerals, according to the sources. Recently, Canada and the United States swapped retaliatory tariffs, while Trump has repeatedly criticized the European Union’s trade policies and continues to express interest in the possible incorporation of Greenland.
According to one of the sources, the objective is to bring Canada and the European Union as close as possible within legal limits, without formal membership in the bloc. The parties are also discussing expanding cooperation through the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), of which Canada is a member.
Last year, Canada became the first country outside the European Union to join the €150 billion European fund for military purchases.
Canada and the European Union already maintain a broad trade agreement and a security and defence partnership. Now, the parties are evaluating ways to deepen this relationship within the existing legal framework, seeking to balance access to the European single market without the obligations that accompany formal bloc membership.
The two sides have a bilateral summit scheduled for October, in Canada.
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