The European Union has set its sights on Canada becoming the first « associate member » of the 27-member bloc, as much of the world seeks to broaden trade ties beyond the United States.
In a state of the union address (new window), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU and Canada must urgently reimagine their partnership, and move beyond just a free-trade agreement.
Prime Minister Mark Carney embraced the closer ties in his own speech (new window), saying Canada is seeking resilience over its open markets and sovereignty, and outlining a proposal to deepen integration across key sectors such as critical minerals, artificial intelligence, defence, energy, research and finance.
