8 things we learned at the EU-Canada summit

The EU-Canada summit in Montreal concluded with several significant agreements and announcements, according to POLITICO. Prime Minister Mark Carney initially opposed the term "associate membership" but eventually endorsed it, setting a six-month deadline to establish the details of this new form of partnership. The EU and Canada collaborated on agreements concerning critical minerals, supercomputers, and defense cooperation.

One major win for both sides was the framework agreement signed between the European Investment Bank and Canada. This deal will allow the European bloc's lending arm to provide support for Canadian critical minerals, essential for future technology like batteries, circuit boards, and semiconductors. These minerals are currently largely sourced from China, and opening up a Canadian supplier could help reduce Europe's dependence.

Though Canada has ambitions to become an "energy superpower" and export its energy resources, much of these resources are located in Alberta, far from Europe. However, both sides committed to a "long-term feasibility study" on exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe through the east coast or Arctic ports.

U.S. Senator Peter Welch attended the summit to promote better U.S.-Canada relations, but his optimism was tempered by concerns about President Donald Trump's actions. The summit also touched on China's dominance in the critical minerals market, with both the EU and Canada pledging to increase cooperation in the mining, production, and refining of these materials. However, the final communiqué did not specifically name China.

Defence Minister David McGuinty expressed Canada's intention to use its critical mineral resources to strengthen its own sovereignty and contribute to NATO's security. Quebec's presence at the summit represented a significant step for the province, as it had been seeking a stronger role in the European-Canada partnership.