EU Gains Wide Backing for Strengthened Ties with Canada Ahead of Summit
EU governments have endorsed plans to deepen cooperation with Canada in technology, trade and raw materials, despite recent U.S. tariff measures against Canadian products.
EU ambassadors from all 27 member states met in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss a proposed partnership with Canada that would expand cooperation in technology, trade, research, innovation and critical raw materials. The discussions took place hours after the United States announced new tariffs on Canadian dairy, alcohol and motorbike exports.
The European Commission and the European Council presented preparations for a summit with Canada scheduled for Oct. 29-30, signalling a joint commitment to explore new areas of collaboration, including mining of rare metals and reducing trade barriers.
"There’s very strong support for Commission President von der Leyen making that outreach and for closer cooperation," said a diplomat familiar with the preparations.
While some member states traditionally maintain close ties with Washington, none raised objections to the initiative, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Justin Trudeau is set to address the European Parliament next week, a visit described by a senior EU official as a clear signal of the intention to upgrade the partnership.
EU officials said the agenda could include participation in the Erasmus student exchange programme, joint security and defence initiatives in the Arctic, and cooperation on critical raw materials, subsea cables and Arctic-capable vessels. An updated Arctic policy, expected in late October, may also feature a security component linked to Canada.
The talks remain preliminary, with officials emphasizing that no formal agreement has been reached yet and that the primary goal is to demonstrate political ambition and identify concrete areas for deeper cooperation.