STRASBOURG, France, Sep 17 – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday welcomed a European proposal to create a new form of associate membership for Canada in the European Union, describing closer ties with Europe as a way to strengthen his country’s economic resilience and protect its sovereignty.
Speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Carney said Canada was interested in building a much deeper relationship with the 27-member bloc across trade, defense, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, space, research and financial services.
The proposal, put forward Wednesday by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, would create a status that does not currently exist under EU treaties. Carney said the details of such an arrangement would still need to be negotiated, but he made clear that Ottawa was prepared to explore the idea.
He also stressed that Canada was not seeking full EU membership.
“We do not seek power to dominate others,” Carney told lawmakers. “On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so that no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law.”
The speech came as Canada seeks to reduce its economic dependence on the United States following a sharp deterioration in relations with Washington. Trade disputes, tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump and his repeated comments about Canada potentially becoming the 51st U.S. state have added pressure on Ottawa to diversify its international partnerships.
Carney received a warm reception inside the European Parliament. Lawmakers approached him for handshakes and photographs before his address, while some parliamentarians applauded and gave him a standing ovation after his remarks. One member of the chamber wore a Canadian hockey jersey.
Europe proposes a deeper partnership with Canada
Von der Leyen announced the associate-membership proposal during her State of the Union address on Wednesday, saying the EU wanted to take its relationship with Canada to the highest level possible.
She proposed moving beyond the existing Canada-EU free trade relationship and developing what she called an “Alliance for the Future.” The proposed framework would seek to establish a broader area of economic cooperation and security between Canada and Europe.
Carney, who was seated in the front row during von der Leyen’s speech, stood and embraced her as European lawmakers applauded the proposal.
The idea is expected to receive more attention at the next Canada-EU summit, which Carney is scheduled to host in Montreal on Oct. 29 and 30. Officials from both sides are expected to discuss what associate membership could involve and how it could be structured within the EU’s existing legal framework.
Canada already has extensive economic links with Europe, but its trade relationship remains heavily concentrated on the United States. About 70% of Canadian exports are sent to the U.S., leaving Canadian businesses particularly exposed to changes in American trade policy.
That dependence has become a central concern for Carney’s government as Washington has pursued a more aggressive tariff strategy.
Canada has responded to U.S. trade measures with its own actions while rejecting demands that Ottawa says could compromise Canadian sovereignty. Europe, meanwhile, has taken a different approach to its trade dispute with Washington, reaching an arrangement under which tariffs of up to 15% apply to many European exports to the United States.
For Ottawa, stronger economic connections with Europe could provide additional markets and investment opportunities while reducing the risks associated with relying so heavily on a single trading partner.
The proposed relationship would extend beyond commerce. Canadian and European officials have already discussed cooperation involving energy supplies, critical minerals, artificial intelligence and digital trade.
Canada has also moved closer to Europe on defense. Earlier this year, it became the first country outside Europe to join the EU’s SAFE defense procurement program, a 150 billion-euro initiative designed to support joint military procurement as European countries increase defense spending.
The arrangement allows Canadian companies to participate in certain European defense procurement opportunities, providing another practical link between the two sides.
Trump warns of consequences as Canada looks to Europe
The proposal has drawn a direct response from Trump, who suggested that a closer Canada-EU relationship could be considered a “hostile act.” He also warned that Europe could face heavier tariffs if he concluded that its intentions were unfriendly toward the United States.
Those comments added another layer of tension to Carney’s appearance before European lawmakers.
Asked about Trump’s remarks, Carney said Canadians would decide independently how their country conducts its international affairs.
“Canadians are united that nobody is going to tell us what language we speak. No one is going to dictate our culture or with whom we can strike agreements internationally,” he said.
The exchange reflects a broader change in Canada’s approach to its relationship with the United States. For decades, Canada’s economy has been closely integrated with the American market, while its geographic proximity has made Washington its dominant economic partner.
Carney has increasingly argued that countries with smaller economies and populations need to work together when dealing with much larger powers. He has referred to these countries as “middle powers” and has urged them to cooperate rather than negotiate individually from weaker positions.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Carney warned that countries negotiating alone with a dominant power could end up accepting terms they would otherwise reject. Trump responded critically to those comments the following day.
Canada’s ambassador-designate to the EU, Jonathan Wilkinson, said Ottawa wants to establish the closest relationship possible with Europe while also strengthening Canada’s ability to act independently.
Political scientist Daniel Béland of McGill University said the changing approach by both Canada and the EU reflects growing uncertainty about the future role of the United States in international affairs. He argued that policies and rhetoric from the Trump administration are encouraging Canada and Europe to consider how they would operate in a world where U.S. leadership is less predictable.
Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, said Canada’s response to Washington has also attracted attention in Europe because of the country’s longstanding understanding of the United States.
European governments have traditionally viewed Canada as a useful partner partly because of its close economic and political relationship with Washington. Carney’s willingness to challenge U.S. demands while pursuing stronger European ties has added another dimension to that relationship, Wiseman said.
The proposed associate membership remains at an early stage, and its precise terms have yet to be established. It would also require determining how a new status could fit within the EU’s legal and institutional framework.
For Canada, however, the proposal signals an opportunity to expand an already growing relationship with Europe. For the EU, it offers a possible way to deepen cooperation with a major non-European partner at a time when questions over trade, defense, energy security and the future role of the United States are reshaping international alliances.