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- Delaney Sawyer via Fortune | FORTUNE
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Canada expects to finalize EU associate membership deal in June
ReCanada expects to finalize EU associate membership deal in June
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada and the European Union expect to conclude negotiations in June that would make Canada the bloc's first associate member, as both sides seek to reduce reliance on Washington.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday he expects to conclude negotiations with the European Union in June that would make Canada the bloc's first «associate member», a status he described as «everything short of full EU membership». The plan reflects an unprecedented effort by Ottawa and Brussels to protect their sovereignty and strengthen ties as the global order shifts.
The push has been accelerated by the trade war and threats against traditional allies launched by U.S. President Donald Trump. Both Canada and Europe have been working to reduce their dependence on Washington and deepen their economic and security cooperation. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen framed the shift as lasting. «What brings us together goes far beyond geography. We see the world through the same eyes», she said. «These headwinds won't stop blowing. This change is permanent.»
Carney said the alliance would help both partners withstand economic pressure and make their own decisions rather than be dictated to by more powerful countries. Trump has suggested the proposed arrangement could be a «hostile act» and has threatened tariffs on Europe if he considers it unfriendly. Asked whether Trump could eventually be invited to join, Carney did not directly answer, but said the initiative was not aimed against any country. «It is about reinforcing sovereignty», he said. «It's not against anything, it's for.»
Carney, von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa launched the «Alliance for the Future» at the end of a two-day summit in Montreal. The leaders announced progress on digital trade, European investment in Canadian critical minerals and artificial intelligence. Carney said: «Today we move toward associate membership for Canada, and we launch a new alliance for the future.»
The joint declaration, however, did not mention associate membership, even though both Carney and von der Leyen have championed the designation. Instead, the leaders agreed to define an «ever-closer association» by their next summit in 2027. Carney said Canadian Cabinet ministers and European commissioners would meet in March, before he attends European Council meetings in June, where he intends to conclude negotiations. Costa confirmed the invitation and said more details would be announced then. Von der Leyen said there was broad support for bringing Canada much closer to the EU, despite disagreement over what to call the relationship.
Canada and the EU already have a free-trade agreement that eliminated most tariffs. On Friday they wrapped up negotiations on a new digital trade agreement intended to make it easier for businesses to sell across the Atlantic. Canada also signed an agreement allowing the European Investment Bank to finance Canadian critical minerals projects, a potential new source of investment for the country's mining industry.
Canada will also join a European supercomputing initiative that Carney said could transform research. He said Europe's JUPITER supercomputer could complete in one day calculations that would take Canada's most powerful research computer six months. «A tech startup in Vancouver will have a smoother path to customers in Berlin», Carney said. «Bottom line: less red tape, more growth, more opportunity.»
The two sides also concluded negotiations on a competition agreement aimed at curbing anti-competitive practices and lowering prices for consumers. They will explore linking their instant-payment systems to make cross-border transfers faster and cheaper. The leaders additionally agreed to study exporting Canadian liquefied natural gas to Europe and to explore new undersea cables linking Canada, Europe and Asia.
Canada and the EU will also begin negotiations on expanding Canadian participation in Erasmus+, the European student exchange program, and explore ways to make it easier for young people to study and work across the Atlantic. A new border security arrangement and closer cooperation on defense, cybersecurity, Arctic security and countering foreign interference were also pledged.
The United States accounted for 71.7 percent of Canada's merchandise exports in 2025, and Carney wants to double exports to other countries over the next decade. Costa said the partnership was meant to be unlike any previous EU arrangement with a country outside the bloc. «Our relationship is so special that we want to create something new: to go beyond a simple association, everything short of full EU membership», he said.
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