Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks in the semicircle of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, on September 17, 2026, as part of a visit to welcome the European Commission’s proposal to make Canada the first associate member of the EU.
Jean-Christophe Verhagen | AFP | Getty Images
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday welcomed the European Union’s ambition to make Ottawa an associate member of the 27-nation bloc, saying Canadian lawmakers would ultimately vote on the alliance’s final structure.
“Canada and Europe are strong on their own, and Europe and Canada are even stronger together,” Carney told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France.
Although the Canadian prime minister did not mention President Donald Trump by name in his speech, he said, “Economic integration has now been weaponized, and tariffs are being used to apply pressure,” a nod to the U.S. prime minister’s use of tariffs.
“Financial mechanisms have been used for coercion,” Carney said in French. “The supply chain has become a weak point for exploitation.”
His comments came shortly after President Trump called the prospect of Canada becoming the EU’s first associate member “ridiculous” and threatened to impose tariffs if he deemed it a “hostile act.”
Speaking to reporters in North Carolina, Trump called Canada a “terrible trading partner” and said the U.S. could even “shut down trade with Europe in many areas” if the EU goes ahead with its plan. “If it’s in good faith, that’s fine. If it’s in bad faith, we’ll impose very heavy tariffs on Europe,” Trump said.
The Trump administration recently raised tariffs on Canadian goods, prompting Canada to respond with its own levy. Prime Minister Carney has promised to impose reciprocal tariffs on US goods on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday that the 27 member states want to have relations with Canada at the “highest possible level.”
Ms. von der Leyen told Mr. Carney, who attended the EU chief’s State of the Union address, that she wanted to work with Mr. Carney to “open the door for Canada to become the first associate member of the European Union.”
Currently, associate member states do not exist as a formal category under the EU treaties, and such arrangements must be drawn up and approved by member states.
“This alliance is a positive process. This is my response to the President of the United States. A stronger, more resilient, more sovereign Canada will be a more effective partner for the United States,” Carney said at a press conference shortly after his speech.
“Canadians are united, and no one is going to tell us the language we speak, no one is going to dictate our culture, and no one is going to make international agreements with anyone,” he added.
“We do not seek power over others.”
The EU has so far been reluctant to embrace the prospect of flexible membership categories, particularly after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on the bloc to consider Ukraine’s associate membership earlier this year.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister von der Leyen’s support for Canada’s bid for EU associate status signals a significant deepening of ties between Ottawa and Brussels, and comes at a time when Canada is embroiled in a bitter trade war with the United States.
Asked whether Canadian MPs would be able to debate and vote on Canada’s future relationship with the EU, Carney said: “Of course there will be not one debate, but multiple debates, and there will be votes in the Canadian Parliament. Of course, that’s clear, but at this particular juncture, we’re at the start of the road.”
U.S. President Donald Trump waves while boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, September 16, 2026.
Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images
Carney also sought to make clear that a closer relationship between the EU and Canada would strengthen collective resilience and “create a beacon” to other democracies.
“I also want to be precise about what I’m not proposing. I’m not proposing a third bloc to be a rival to the better-mannered great powers,” Carney said.
“We do not seek power over others. On the contrary, we seek resilience so that no one can control our open markets, undermine our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, and undermine our freedoms, our democracy, and our rule of law,” he added.
Carney and Barnum meet
The EU and Canada already have a free trade agreement, which abolished 99% of all tariff lines when it provisionally entered into force in 2017. This agreement is known as the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
“We will move from CETA to an alliance for the future, creating a space of common prosperity and economic security,” von der Leyen said.
He added that the EU and Canada “see the world with the same eyes” and pledged to cooperate on issues such as artificial intelligence, climate change, geopolitics and Arctic security.
Mark Carney and Andy Burnham before the Carabao Cup third round match between Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, England on September 16, 2026.
Tony McArdle – Everton Fc | Getty Images Sports | Getty Images
Mr Carney met with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday and watched an Everton match in Liverpool, England, before returning to Strasbourg to address EU lawmakers on Thursday.
Downing Street said in a statement that the two leaders underlined the importance of building similar close relationships with European partners, particularly on issues such as trade and defence.
Mr. Carney and Mr. Burnham also discussed deepening defense cooperation, including the complementary role of the multilateral defense mechanism and the Canadian-led Defense Security Resilience Bank.
