Canada welcomes EU proposal to become 'associate member'Skip to contentWatch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessTechnologyHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesHomeNewsUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessWorld of BusinessTechnology of BusinessNYSE Opening BellTechnologyWatch DocumentariesArtificial IntelligenceIntelligence RevolutionAI v the MindTech NowHealthWatch DocumentariesCultureWatch DocumentariesFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsWatch DocumentariesArts in MotionTravelWatch DocumentariesDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListTo the Ends of the Earth EarthWatch DocumentariesScienceNatural WondersClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoWatch DocumentariesBBC MaestroDiscover the WorldLiveLive NewsLive SportDocumentariesSite searchHomeNewsSportBusinessTechnologyHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveCanada welcomes EU proposal to become 'associate member'2 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJessica RawnsleyReutersCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has welcomed the European Union's ambition for Canada to become its first "associate member", calling for closer cooperation on defence, critical minerals and energy security.Carney told the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday that Canada and Europe were "stronger together" in the face of "geopolitical rupture". His comments came a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed "opening the door" to Canada's associate membership, a status that does not currently exist.US President Donald Trump earlier called the idea "laughable" and threatened "very serious tariffs" on Europe if he considered it a "hostile act". Canada and the US are locked in an escalating trade dispute, with each side imposing tit-for-tat tariffs after bilateral talks collapsed last month."Today our societies are being battered by new storms," Carney said during his address, naming them as climate change, "the erosion of democratic norms" and the "weaponisation of trade"."Economic integration is now being weaponised, tariffs being used to exert pressure," he said."Financial mechanisms have been used for coercion. Supply chains constitute weak points to be exploited."He said a Canada-EU alliance would create a "beacon for other democracies", while stressing the two sides were not seeking to form a new power bloc."I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival - only with better manners," he told MEPs."This is about sovereignty, our ability to live as we wish. We do not seek power to dominate others."Asked about the proposal on Wednesday, Trump told reporters: "If I think it's at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe, on many things."If it's a good intention, that's fine. If it's a bad intention, we'll put very heavy tariffs on Europe, which is a possibility." Responding to Trump's comments at a press conference following his address, Carney said: "This alliance is a positive process, that's my response to the American president.""Canadians are united that nobody is going to tell us what language we speak, no-one is going to dictate our culture, or with whom we can strike agreements internationally," he added.Carney said Canada was "not in a position, nor seeking, to become a full member of the European Union", describing the proposal as a "different framework".Carney's new love-in with EU has everything to do with TrumpEU chief backs plan for Canada to become 'associate member'Speaking at the European Parliament on Wednesday, von der Leyen said she wanted Canada to become the EU's first associate member, with closer cooperation in areas such as manufacturing, technology, defence, energy critical minerals and economic security.It is unclear exactly what that relationship would look like because the "associate member" status does not currently exist within the EU and could take years to implement.Any new arrangement would require the agreement of all 27 EU member states, with some governments having previously expressed reservations about creating a new form of membership. The EU and Canada already have a free-trade agreement, and cooperate in areas including trade, defence and research.In his address, Carney said Canada and Europe could strengthen their "strategic autonomy" through "deep co-operation in the full range of strategic capabilities, including critical minerals".He said Canada could supply liquefied natural gas and hydrogen to support European energy security, while benefiting from Europe's expertise in clean-energy technologies.He also proposed pooling technological resources and deepening "people to people ties", including allowing young people to "work, study and live where they want on either side of the Atlantic" through Canada joining the EU's Erasmus+ programme.Carney described the proposed relationship as "a unique, positive approach that we will define together".He added that there would be a debate and a vote in the Canadian parliament on the proposals, but emphasised the two sides were still at the "start of a road".A Canada-EU summit is due to take place in Montreal at the end of October, where Carney said they would "drill down the details".More on this storyCarney eyes 'unique alliance' with EU as trade war with US intensifiesTrump says Canada wants 'benefits' of being US state after trade talks collapseMany Canadians are boycotting the US, so this is where they're travelling insteadCanadaMark CarneyDonald TrumpUnited StatesRelatedCarney's new love-in with EU has everything to do with TrumpFive takeaways from Canada's push to woo the world's richest investors'Maybe they'll shoot you' - Carney recalls Trump's gift of White House keyMore from the BBC4 hrs agoStadium owner Robert Kraft says Ed Sheeran asked him to donate $2m in aid after Macklemore backlashIt comes after Macklemore pledged $1m to Palestinian causes, challenging the tycoon to match the sum.4 hrs ago9 hrs agoAssad regime planned US journalist's kidnap for weeks, BBC findsAustin Tice’s abduction was approved by Syria’s former leader Bashar al-Assad, a source claims.9 hrs ago13 hrs agoLena Dunham announces birth of first baby via surrogacyThe writer and actress announced the birth of her daughter in an op-ed published by Vogue on Wednesday.13 hrs ago15 hrs agoTop Democrat opposes US sale of heavy bombs to IsraelBut the objection is not enough to stop the sale - the Trump administration can still press ahead.15 hrs ago16 hrs agoWatch: How will higher interest rates impact US consumers?The BBC's Samira Hussain looks at the factors considered in the increase by the Federal Reserve and what it could mean for the US economy.16 hrs agoBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessTechnologyHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherBBC ShopBritBoxBBC in other languagesThe BBC is in multiple languagesRead the BBC In your own languageBBC News BrasilBBC News Mundo (Spanish)BBC News မြန်မာ (Burmese)BBC News 中文 (Chinese)BBC News IndonesiaBBC News 코리아 (Korean)BBC News ไทย (Thai)BBC News Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)BBC News Azərbaycanca (Azeri)BBC News Magyarul (Hungarian)BBC News Кыргыз Кызматы (Kyrgyz)BBC News Polska (Polish)BBC News România (Romanian)BBC News Русская служба (Russian)BBC News na srpskom (Serbian)BBC News Україна (Ukrainian)BBC News O'zbek (Uzbek)BBC News عربي (Arabic)BBC News فارسی (Persian)BBC News Türkçe (Turkish)BBC News বাংলা (Bengali)BBC News دری (Dari)BBC News ગુજરાતી (Gujarati)BBC News हिन्दी (Hindi)BBC News मराठी (Marathi)BBC News नेपाली (Nepali)BBC News සිංහල (Sinhala)BBC News پښتو (Pashto)BBC News ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi)BBC News Afaan OromooBBC News አማርኛ (Amharic)BBC News Afrique (French)BBC News HausaBBC News Gaelic NAIDHEACHDANBBC News ÌgbòBBC News Japanese 日本語BBC News GahuzaBBC News PidginBBC News SomaliBBC News SwahiliBBC News தமிழ் (Tamil)BBC News తెలుగు (Telugu)BBC News ትግርኛ (Tigrinya)BBC News اردو (Urdu)BBC News YorùbáBBC News World ServiceFollow BBC on:Terms of UseSubscription TermsAbout the BBCPrivacy PolicyCookiesAccessibility HelpContact the BBCAdvertise with usDo not share or sell my infoBBC.com Help & FAQsContent IndexSet Preferred SourceCopyright 2026 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the European Union's proposal for Canada to become its first associate member, advocating for intensified cooperation across critical areas such as defense, critical minerals, and energy security. This proposal emerged in the context of broader geopolitical tensions, as Carney framed the situation by citing climate change, the erosion of democratic norms, and the weaponization of trade, noting that financial mechanisms and supply chains have been exploited for coercion. The proposed alliance is intended to act as a beacon for other democracies, emphasizing that the objective is not to form a new power bloc or seek dominance, but rather to assert sovereignty and ensure the ability to determine national cultural and international agreements.

The proposal was met with significant external friction, particularly from the United States, where President Donald Trump dismissed the idea as laughable and threatened imposition of severe tariffs on Europe should he consider the initiative a hostile act. In response to these external pressures, Carney emphasized that the alliance is a positive process and underscored the Canadian commitment to cultural autonomy, asserting that Canadians are united in their desire to control their own cultural trajectory and international agreements. This stance was presented as a necessary counterpoint to the escalating trade disputes between major powers, where tariffs have been used to exert pressure.

The EU, through President Ursula von der Leyen, sought Canada's association in areas including manufacturing, technology, defense, energy, and economic security. Although the status of 'associate member' does not currently exist within the EU, and implementation could take years, the existing free-trade agreement allows for cooperation in areas like trade, defense, and research. Carney suggested that a Canada-EU alliance could strengthen their strategic autonomy by fostering deep cooperation in strategic capabilities, including critical minerals. Furthermore, he proposed tangible areas for collaboration, such as Canada supplying liquefied natural gas and hydrogen to enhance European energy security while benefiting from European expertise in clean-energy technologies.

Beyond security and energy, Carney envisioned a relationship that would foster broader societal connections. He proposed pooling technological resources and deepening "people to people ties," suggesting opportunities for young people to collaborate by allowing them to work, study, and live across the Atlantic through initiatives like the Erasmus+ program. The overarching vision presented by Carney was of a unique and positive approach that would be mutually defined by both parties. To further develop this framework, a Canada-EU summit is scheduled for Montreal in late October, where details of this potential alliance are expected to be examined in depth.