MONTREAL (AP) — Canada is “by far the most European of non-European countries,” European Council President António Costa said Friday as he and Prime Minister Mark Carney pursued an unprecedented partnership at a two-day summit in Montreal aimed at reducing Canada’s and Europe’s dependence on the United States.
Costa said the proposed alliance would be the closest relationship the EU has ever established with a country outside the bloc, expanding cooperation
on trade, research and security as U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war strains relations with traditional allies.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said shared values mattered more than geography in determining which countries should work together.
“It is not so important where the countries are on the map,” von der Leyen said. “What is important are the values that a country defends and where countries stand in international relations.”
Carney said the proposed alliance would strengthen the sovereignty of Canada and Europe and help them weather economic shocks.
“And it means, at its base, sovereignty, greater resilience, an ability to withstand shocks together,” he said.
Von der Leyen has been pushing for Canada to become the EU’s first “associate member,” despite resistance from some European governments to the designation. Carney has also used the term, although he has emphasized that the partnership’s benefits matter more than its name.
“We want Canada as close a partner as possible to the European Union,” von der Leyen said. “We know that Canada cannot be a full-fledged member of the European Union, but to have a relationship as close as possible, this is our goal.”
Carney said the proposed alliance would make life more affordable, give consumers more choices and create opportunities for businesses, young people and researchers.
Von der Leyen said Canada and the EU were also creating a common space with other trusted partners to confront challenges involving critical minerals, resilient supply chains, artificial intelligence and space.
The leaders are expected to announce a digital trade agreement Friday, along with initiatives to expand scientific research partnerships and university student exchanges. Von der Leyen has also said the two sides would finalize an agreement giving Canadian companies and researchers access to Europe’s network of supercomputers to develop artificial intelligence.
Trump has suggested Canada’s proposed EU arrangement could be a “hostile act” and threatened tariffs on Europe if he considered it unfriendly. The United States accounted for 71.7% of Canada’s merchandise exports in 2025, underscoring the challenge Carney faces as he seeks to double exports to other countries over the next decade.
