BRUSSELS — Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney wants closer links with the European Union and is exploring whether his country could become an “associate member” of the bloc, Reuters reported Sunday, citing The Wall Street Journal.
The Journal said EU and Canadian officials described openness to a yet-to-be-created associate membership status. The Canadian embassy in Brussels and European Commission spokespeople did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Canada’s escalating trade war with the United States has added urgency to Ottawa’s pivot toward other partners. Relations with Washington have deteriorated since President Donald Trump returned to office in early 2025, with tariffs covering tens of billions of dollars in cross-border trade.
According to the Journal, Canada and the EU are discussing freer movement of goods, services, and workers in strategic supply chains such as energy, AI, defence, and critical minerals, plus underwater cables, data centres, and energy infrastructure. Carney has spoken regularly with EU leaders, notably French President Emmanuel Macron, about visa-free living and work arrangements; the two are set to meet later this month.
Sources: Reuters
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