Carney eyes ‘unique alliance’ with EU as Trump trade war strains Canada’s ties with US
Por Milena Wälde — POLITICO – TOP Stories
Carney eyes ‘unique alliance’ with EU as Trump trade war strains Canada’s ties with US
“We share the same values, we have the same priorities and we have very complementary strengths,” the Canadian prime minister told reporters in Toronto.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wants to forge much closer ties with the EU. | Andrej Ivanov/AFP via Getty Images
September 14, 2026
10:15 am CET
By
Milena Wälde
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday that he is not seeking full EU membership but wants to forge much closer ties with the bloc, as he prepares to travel to Strasbourg amid an escalating trade war with the U.S.
“We’re not looking to become a member of the European Union,” Carney told reporters at the Toronto International Film Festival. “What we are looking — and will begin discussions for — [is] a unique alliance with the European Union.”
“We share the same values, we have the same priorities and we have very complementary strengths,” he added.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Carney will address the European Parliament this week and attend Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech Wednesday. His comments follow a Wall Street Journal report suggesting that he has floated making Canada an “associate member” of the EU — a novel status rather than an existing category of membership. Officials have discussed closer cooperation on critical minerals, trade, education and cultural exchanges, digital infrastructure and Arctic security.
Carney’s European pivot comes after months of increasingly hostile trade relations with Washington. In August, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, including cars, alcohol and dairy. That prompted Ottawa to retaliate and eventually suspend trade talks between the two countries, after what Carney called “unfair” last-minute U.S. demands.
Trump has also repeatedly needled Ottawa over Canadian sovereignty — from calling the country a potential 51st state to ordering Lake Ontario to be renamed “Lake America” for U.S. federal use.
Canada will make its Eurovision debut in 2027 and it will also host an EU summit in Montreal on Oct. 29-30.
Brussels, however, has yet to endorse Carney’s “associate member” idea, while parts of the existing EU-Canada trade agreement still await ratification in several member countries.
Related Tags
Alcohol
Americas
Cars
Cooperation
Dairy
Education
EU summit
Infrastructure
Security
State of the Union
Tariffs
Trade
Trade Agreements
Related Countries
Related People
Donald Trump
Mark Carney
Ursula von der Leyen
Our readers read next
‘Slowing things down’: Trade wars hit global electrification shift
12 HRS ago
8 mins read
Trump cuts Ireland’s whiskey tariff as a parting gift
13 HRS ago
2 mins read
The ideas shaping von der Leyen’s pitch to Carney
18 HRS ago
6 mins read
Trump calls on Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries
19 HRS ago
3 mins read
More from Milena Wälde
Iran-backed Houthis seize Red Sea port, putting another key trade route at risk
With the Strait of Hormuz already snarled up, simultaneous disruption looms at the southern gateway to the Red Sea.
Sep 11
3 mins read
Kazakhstan can’t sing its way into Eurovision in 2027
The EBU says the country “does not qualify for full membership at this time.”
Sep 10
2 mins read
Europe pans ‘disturbing’ Trump map that shows all of North America as US territory
Iceland and Greenland as well as French, British, Spanish and Dutch territories were shown under the U.S. flag.
Sep 9
3 mins read
Far right’s rise in rapidly re-arming Germany gives Poland cause for concern
“Only idiots or traitors” in Poland could celebrate successes of German far right, says Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Sep 8
2 mins read
Fonte: POLITICO – TOP Stories
