Carney Hosts EU Leaders in Montreal as Talk of Associate Membership Meets Pushback

Prime Minister Mark Carney is hosting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa in Montreal for a two-day summit meant to bring Canada and Europe closer on trade, defense and the economy. The meeting comes as both sides look to lessen their reliance on Washington amid U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war.

EU officials who briefed reporters beforehand said the proposed partnership could tie Canada to the bloc more tightly than any earlier arrangement with a non-European country. Its structure, and even its name, are still unsettled. Some member states have questioned the "associate member" designation von der Leyen proposed last month, yet she gave no sign of backing down on arrival, posting that Europe wanted Canada closer than ever before "as Associate Member of the EU."

Anand Sundar, a special adviser at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said France and Germany are among the countries unhappy with the label and that it may not survive the summit. Carney played down the dispute. "It doesn't matter about specific names or nomenclature," he said, pointing instead to opportunities for young Canadians to study, work and travel, for businesses and researchers, and for Canada to become "a more independent, more sovereign nation."

Carney has ruled out formal EU membership, which would require Canada to align its laws and regulations with the bloc's. Canadian officials said Canada would not take on the EU's membership-related budget obligations, though it could fund specific programs. Carney has said any enhanced partnership would go to a vote in Parliament. He said the summit would start a further year of negotiations.

The summit is expected to launch an "Alliance for the Future," a framework for cooperation on trade, defense, critical minerals, technology and research. The relationship could include regular meetings between Canadian ministers and European commissioners, along with expanded student opportunities through the EU's Erasmus+ exchange program. A business forum is set for Thursday, followed by formal leaders' talks on Friday, and officials hope to have the broader partnership ready for possible endorsement in 2027.

Trump has suggested the arrangement could be a "hostile act" and threatened tariffs on Europe if he considered it unfriendly. A senior Canadian government official told reporters on Wednesday that the closer relationship is not aimed at the United States but reflects longstanding shared interests.

Defense cooperation faces hurdles. Canada is the only non-European country in the EU's 150-billion-euro ($167-billion) SAFE procurement program. Sundar said France is pushing strict "Made in Europe" rules that could limit Canadian firms' access to future EU defense spending, while Germany favors wider participation by outside countries. He added that talks on the EU's next seven-year budget could matter more to Canada than anything announced in Montreal. Separately, Ottawa is reviewing a plan to buy 72 more American-made F-35 jets and weighing Sweden's Saab Gripen as an alternative. Canada has committed to an initial 16 F-35s.

On trade, the two sides already share the CETA free trade agreement, most of which has been in force since 2017, although some EU states have yet to ratify it. The United States accounted for 71.7% of Canada's merchandise exports in 2025, and Carney wants to double exports to other markets over the next decade. Talks also cover digital trade and critical minerals, including possible European Investment Bank financing.

Analysts see opportunity despite the obstacles. Tobias Gehrke of the European Council on Foreign Relations said there is no "magic shortcut" to cutting reliance on the U.S. economy and military, but that "the political window is now wide open to take a much bigger step than was previously conceivable." Historian Robert Bothwell of the University of Toronto said Canada's pull toward Europe has long been driven by "the idea of not being alone with the Americans."