September 13, 2026 | 03:19 pm
Mark Carney in Vancover, Canada, April 2025. Shutterstock
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has proposed that his country become an extraordinary member of the European Union to accelerate its shift toward European cooperation following the collapse of trade talks with the United States.The Wall Street Journal reported the move, citing sources from both sides. According to the newspaper, the European Union, which is noted for its stringent membership criteria, remains open to Carney’s proposal.Mark Carney has reportedly spent months holding closed-door talks with leaders across major European nations, including France, Italy, Germany, and the Scandinavian states.The primary goal of these discussions is to integrate Canada more deeply into the European market.The report indicates both sides are exploring options to integrate Canada into the EU's $21 trillion (around Rp369.7 trillion) single market across key sectors, including defense, energy, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals.Furthermore, discussions are underway regarding an undersea transatlantic cable, joint investments in data centers and satellite networks, and the rerouting of Canadian gas exports to Europe that bypass the U.S.However, as the publication noted, major hurdles lie ahead along the path toward this unprecedented integration.Canada would likely need to contribute to the EU budget, relinquish a portion of its sovereignty, and adopt internal EU regulations.Bloomberg previously reported that the EU and Canada plan to announce a strategic alliance on trade, defense, and technology on September 16 to counter mounting economic and political pressure from the U.S. and China.Bilateral ties between Washington and Ottawa frayed drastically in 2025 after U.S. President Donald Trump slapped 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports, citing national security concerns and illicit drug trafficking. In response, Canada retaliated with matching tariff measures.While tariffs were temporarily paused and several attempts were made to resolve the feud, the U.S. subsequently hiked levies to 50 percent on steel and aluminum imports.According to Bloomberg, the most recent round of trade negotiations collapsed at the eleventh hour due to the position taken by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.Read: Trump Visits Ireland, Says Unification Would Be 'Fantastic'Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
