Carney’s EU courtship: Expectations are rising ahead of Mark Carney’s appearance at the European Parliament later this week, with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporting on Sunday that he’s seeking “associate” membership of the EU.
‘Unique Alliance’: Speaking overnight, Carney denied that Ottawa was seeking to become a fully-fledged EU member, but said that it was looking to “begin discussions for (a) unique alliance with the European Union”.
‘Associate Membership’: The status doesn’t currently exist but may ring a bell: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz floated the idea for Ukraine in May, pitching a seat at the table in summits and ministerial meetings without voting rights, coverage under the bloc's mutual assistance clause, and eligibility for funding under EU programmes.
The Trump effect?: Carney’s overture is perhaps the clearest sign yet that Ottawa sees Europe as part of the answer to its increasingly fraught relationship with Washington. Trump has made Canada a prime target in his tariff war while repeating threats to make the country the US’s 51st state.
But, while Canada shares the EU’s values, translating that alignment into closer cooperation has proved difficult. A decade after the EU-Canada trade deal, CETA, was signed, it is still not fully ratified by all EU member states, meaning several chapters of the deal are still not in force.
