EU chief hosts Canada’s Carney in push to ‘deepen’ alliance

Strasbourg: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to call for enhanced ties with Canada during her speech at the European Parliament, ahead of the EU-Canada summit in Montreal. Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is attending as a guest of honour, is tasked with boosting relations between the two nations. Carney has been pursuing a unique alliance with the EU to lessen their reliance on the US.

The EU and Canada have already seen significant cooperation, particularly since the free-trade agreement (CETA) eliminated most tariffs in 2016, which has increased trade in goods and services by over 80%. Other collaborative efforts include Canada becoming the first non-EU country to participate in the bloc's defence procurement programme, and Canada's investment in the EU's defence procurement programme.

However, there is still room for improvement, with observers pointing to areas such as energy, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals that could help ensure both nations' sovereignty. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is set to collaborate with Canadian critical minerals projects, which could help reduce the dependency on China for raw materials.

Additionally, the EU is looking to expand the agreement by easing labor mobility rules, increasing student exchanges, and contributing to the EU's $90 billion loan to Ukraine.