A free-trade pact between Canada and the EU, provisionally applied since 2017
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has met French President Emmanuel Macron on Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and has announced plans to deepen economic and security ties with France and the European Union, including backing for a proposal that Canada become the EU's first "associate member." The leaders have discussed energy, critical minerals, defence and technology as Ottawa shifts away from U.S. dependence.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has outlined plans to deepen ties with Canada and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been invited to address the European Parliament. Talks are focusing on security, Arctic cooperation, critical minerals, student exchanges and defence-industrial links, but officials say no formal new pact has been agreed and discussions remain at an early stage.
The EU and Canada have signalled a closer partnership in defense, tech and resources, with talk of an “associate member” status. Brussels argues the move would deepen strategic cohesion; critics warn there is no treaty basis for such a status and that the idea risks creating confusion about EU membership.