EU plan to make Canada an 'associate member' draws Trump’s ire
Good morning. This is Vincenzo Genovese writing from the corridors of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, which are slowly filling up ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s highly-anticipated speech at 11.30.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on the European Union (EU) if it designates Canada as its first associate member. The proposal, floated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, would deepen EU ties with Canada beyond their existing trade agreement. Trump labeled the idea "laughable" and said he might retaliate with "very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things."
He also called Canada a "terrible trade partner." Trump's comments come after Canada formally applied to join a British-led military coalition and after trade talks between the US and Canada broke down. The EU and Canada want to expand their partnership to cover technology, energy, security, and the Arctic, but the EU's proposed associate member status remains undefined as current EU treaties do not provide for such a status.
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