Canada and the European Union are set to advance a broad new partnership aimed at strengthening their strategic cooperation amid growing global competition, officials indicated ahead of a summit scheduled this week in Montreal.
The relationship between the two already includes a free trade agreement and a defence procurement arrangement, but leaders from Ottawa and Brussels are poised to expand collaboration into additional areas, including climate change, energy, digital trade, and technology.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen first proposed earlier this year that Canada could become the EU’s first “associate member,” a status not currently defined in EU treaties and viewed by some member states with caution pending clearer guidelines. An EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity, characterized this proposal as “uncharted territory” but said it reflected a determination to build a close partnership with Canada short of full membership. Such an arrangement would aim to align policies on key sectors, enable Canadian participation in select EU programs, and establish a common governance framework.
This broader dialogue follows recent invitations for Canada to join certain EU summits and ministerial meetings. European Commissioner Jozef Sikela described efforts to deepen ties in the European Parliament last week, while some EU lawmakers have proposed creating an inter-parliamentary body to facilitate regular exchanges between Canadian and EU representatives.
A primary driver behind the engagement is Canada’s abundance of rare earth elements and critical minerals critical to green technologies, including batteries and wind turbines — resources Europe currently largely sources from China. However, Canada’s mining sector remains underdeveloped due to investment challenges and uncertain commitments from buyers, according to Noah Gordon of the European Council on Foreign Relations. The Montreal summit may see agreements allowing the European Investment Bank to finance Canadian mineral projects and explore joint stockpiling mechanisms to stabilize supplies.
Digital trade is also expected to feature prominently, with an agreement anticipated to streamline online transactions between the partners. Cooperation on artificial intelligence infrastructure and regulatory frameworks is slated for advancement, alongside efforts to integrate Canada into EU space initiatives such as the Galileo satellite navigation system and the IRIS² constellation project, designed to provide alternatives to the U.S. GPS and commercial satellite networks.
The EU is also pursuing plans for a new transatlantic submarine cable linking Europe with Greenland, Canada, Japan, and South Korea to reduce dependence on U.S. infrastructure, underscoring a broader push for digital sovereignty. Additionally, Canada may join the EU’s Erasmus program, facilitating student exchanges, as well as initiatives aimed at enhancing labor mobility by lowering barriers for young professionals and recognizing qualifications across borders.
Tobias Cremer, a German member of the European Parliament, emphasized the importance of people-to-people connections as the foundation for the EU-Canada partnership. Financial support for Ukraine remains a priority, with Brussels seeking greater contributions from Canada to address Kyiv’s fiscal needs.
Scientific cooperation also stands to benefit, with potential Canadian access to Horizon Europe — the EU’s premier research funding program — and openings to utilize European supercomputing resources. Energy ties are expected to grow, with plans referencing Canadian liquefied natural gas exports to Europe and joint development of renewable energy projects.
Together, these initiatives are designed to deepen transatlantic ties and create a more resilient partnership amid an increasingly complex global landscape dominated by the strategic influence of the United States and China.