European Union plans to deepen its partnership with Canada, aimed at helping the country withstand a trade war with the United States, have received support from governments across the political spectrum, including those that typically avoid confrontation with the Donald Trump administration. Ambassadors from the bloc’s 27 member states discussed the initiative in Brussels on Wednesday, just hours after the White House banned imports of Canadian dairy products, alcohol, and motorcycles as part of an escalating tariff conflict.
According to two people familiar with the confidential negotiations, the EU intends to strengthen ties with Canada in technology, trade, and critical raw materials. Despite the risk that these actions could be perceived as backing Canada in its standoff with Washington, no member state raised objections.
The European Commission and the European Council jointly presented preparations for a summit with Canada, scheduled for October 29–30. The parties plan to discuss new areas of cooperation, including technology, research and innovation, the extraction of valuable rare‑earth metals, and the removal of trade barriers.
Prospects for deeper cooperation
A third diplomat familiar with the summit preparations noted that there is “strong backing” for the efforts of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to move closer to Canada. This includes countries that traditionally seek to maintain close ties with the Donald Trump administration, such as Italy under Giorgia Meloni, the Czech Republic under Andrej Babiš, and Slovakia under Robert Fico.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will address the European Parliament next week. His visit is part of Canada’s campaign to reduce its dependence on the United States and build a circle of democratic countries that support free trade. As a senior EU official explained, the visit is meant to “clearly show both sides’ intention to deepen the partnership”.
Areas under consideration include Canada’s participation in the Erasmus student‑exchange programme, the alignment of security and defence approaches in the Arctic, and military‑industrial cooperation. A broad new partnership has not yet been agreed, and officials stress that the talks are still in early stages.
For now, the goal is to demonstrate political readiness for deeper cooperation and to identify fields where the EU and Canada can work more closely together. Mark Carney is expected to outline more concrete next steps during his address.
The European Commission is also preparing an updated Arctic policy, slated for presentation on October 20. The document has been renamed the North Neighbourhood and Arctic Strategy to reflect its broader geographic scope.
Ursula von der Leyen recently returned from Greenland, stating that Europe wants to “be more actively involved in Arctic affairs”. Consequently, the region could become a key area for aligning the strategic priorities of Brussels and Ottawa.
According to one EU official, the mention of Canada in von der Leyen’s speech may relate to security issues, including a possible Arctic security initiative. Another EU official noted that cooperation in the region could extend far beyond defence.
Possible areas include cooperation on critical raw materials, subsea cables, and specialised equipment for high‑latitude operations, such as icebreakers and other vessels capable of operating in Arctic conditions.
Another area of shared interest is greener shipping. On this issue, the positions of the EU and Canada differ markedly from those of the United States, which has opposed the decarbonisation of the shipping industry.
Source: Politico
