Carney welcomes EU associate membership bid despite Trump threats

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday embraced the prospect of Canada becoming the European Union's first associate member, telling the European Parliament in Strasbourg that "Europe and Canada are each strong. Europe and Canada are even stronger together."reuters+1

Carney's address came a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada an associate member of the bloc — a status that does not currently exist under EU treaties and would need to be created and ratified by member states. The speech also followed a sharp warning from U.S. President Donald Trump, who called the proposal "laughable" and threatened to impose "very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things" if he deemed the arrangement a "hostile act."aljazeera+2

A Forest, Not a Single Tree

Speaking in English, French, and German, Carney outlined an ambitious agenda for deeper integration spanning critical minerals, defense, artificial intelligence, energy security, space, and digital trade. He called for "seamless, digital trade in non-agricultural goods and a wide range of services" and proposed allowing young people from both sides to live, work, and study across the Atlantic, including through participation in the EU's Erasmus+ and Horizon programs.cnn+1

"I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival — only with better manners," Carney said to laughter in the chamber. "We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so that no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law."pbs+1

Though Carney did not mention Trump or the United States by name during his speech, the subtext was unmistakable. Canada sends roughly 70% of its exports to the United States, making it heavily exposed to Trump's tariffs, and relations between Ottawa and Washington have reached a historic low.pbs

Trump Pushes Back, Carney Holds Firm

Asked about Trump's comments afterward, Carney was direct. "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 told reporters. He acknowledged that "associate membership" remains to be defined and said Canadian lawmakers would debate and vote on the final structure of any alliance.qz+1

The European Commission defended the proposal. "The proposed strengthening of our partnership with Canada is not against anyone else, but for our common strength," said spokesperson Olof Gill.aljazeera

What Comes Next

The two sides are expected to discuss the proposed relationship in greater detail at an EU-Canada summit in Montreal on Oct. 29-30. Canada has already taken concrete steps toward closer ties with Europe, becoming earlier this year the first non-European country to join the EU's 150-billion-euro SAFE defense procurement program.qz+1

Germany has signaled some caution, with a government spokesperson saying Berlin was open to "discussing new models" but suggesting the term "associate member" should be reconsidered. The EU-Canada free trade agreement known as CETA, which eliminated 99% of tariff lines when it provisionally took effect in 2017, still awaits ratification from ten EU member states, including France, Italy, and Poland.cnbc+1

Carney received a standing ovation after his remarks. One European parliamentarian had donned a Canadian hockey jersey.pbs