Canada seeking ‘unique alliance’ with EU, not membership: Carney

Canada is seeking a closer relationship with the European Union, but not membership. Prime Minister Mark Carney said he wants to forge a "unique alliance" with the EU, citing shared values and complementary strengths. This comes as Canada faces escalating trade tensions with the US, with President Donald Trump imposing tariffs on Canadian goods.

Carney's comments follow a report suggesting he had floated making Canada an "associate member" of the EU, but he has clarified that this is not on the table. Instead, officials are discussing closer cooperation on areas such as critical minerals, trade, education, and digital infrastructure. The EU and Canada have been exploring ways to "diversify and de-risk" their foreign relations, particularly in light of Trump's return to office.

Carney will address the European Parliament and attend the State of the Union speech in Strasbourg this week. He will also meet with Britain's new prime minister, though according to the Malay Mail it will be in Liverpool with Andy Burnham. Canada has been hit hard by the US trade war, and is seeking new economic partners. The EU is also looking to strengthen its ties with Canada, which has many of the resources Europe needs, such as energy and rare earths.

Brief written by urgent.news from National Post, Malay Mail, Politico EU — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.