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File photo: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, center, and European Council President Antonio Costa
Canada is exploring whether it could become an “associate member” of the European Union as Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks closer economic and strategic ties with the bloc, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.The EU, which has historically been reluctant to change its membership rules, is open to the idea of creating a new associate membership status for Canada, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed officials from both sides.
The Canadian embassy in Brussels and the European Commission did not respond to separate requests for comment.Canada's worsening trade relationship with the United States has added urgency to its efforts to strengthen ties with other trading partners.Relations between Ottawa and Washington have deteriorated since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in early 2025, with disagreements over trade and other issues leading to tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in cross-border trade.
Canada and EU explore deeper economic links
Canada and the EU are discussing ways to allow goods, services and workers involved in strategic supply chains to move more freely between them, according to the Wall Street Journal report.
The areas under discussion include energy, artificial intelligence, defence and critical minerals, effectively shifting the EU's economic border closer to Canada.The two sides are also discussing cooperation on underwater cables, data centres, cloud storage and new satellite networks and infrastructure to facilitate the shipment of Canadian energy to Europe, the report said.Carney has also held regular discussions with several EU leaders, particularly French President Emmanuel Macron, about the possibility of allowing Canadians to live and work in the EU without visas, according to two officials cited by the Wall Street Journal.Carney and Macron are scheduled to meet later this month. Macron's press office did not respond to a request for comment.
Existing Canada-EU trade deal faces ratification hurdles
Closer institutional ties between Canada and the EU could face challenges, however, as even a more limited trade agreement between the two sides has encountered difficulties.The Canada-EU trade deal was struck more than a decade ago and provisionally entered into force nine years ago, but several EU countries have still not ratified it.The latest discussions therefore come as Canada seeks to deepen its relationship with Europe while its trade tensions with its largest trading partner, the United States, continue.
