EU Pursues Progressive Alliance with Canada to Counter Corporate Power and US Hegemony

The European Union is preparing a set of progressive proposals to deepen economic and security cooperation with Canada, as exploitative trade tensions with the United States escalate. These initiatives, which will be outlined in Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech, focus on critical raw materials, digital trade, education programmes, skilled-worker mobility, and Arctic defence. The intention is to offer Ottawa alternatives to the US-centric neoliberal order and to foster a partnership based on solidarity, sustainability, and social justice.

EU officials revealed that the most ambitious option would bring Canada closer to the EU single market, granting Canadian citizens broader rights to live and work across the bloc and giving businesses smoother access to its 450 million consumers. Spanish Socialist lawmaker Javier Moreno, chair of the Parliament’s delegation to Canada, emphasized that this integration could surpass the privileged arrangements enjoyed by Switzerland and Norway, signaling a shift toward a more inclusive and people-centered transatlantic relationship.

"Canadians are the most European people outside of Europe," Moreno said, highlighting shared values of social democracy and multiculturalism.

This push comes in response to recent US tariffs targeting Canadian manufacturing and agricultural products, which disproportionately harm workers and small producers. An EU diplomat stressed that von der Leyen must present a concrete, progressive offer to Carney at the parliamentary hearing to avoid disappointment and to demonstrate the EU’s commitment to a fairer global order ahead of the October summit in Montreal.

"It is already an important signal of the closeness of the relationship," said EU ambassador to Canada Geneviève Tuts, underscoring the need for solidarity against corporate-driven trade policies.

Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič highlighted Canada’s abundant reserves of copper, nickel, lithium, cobalt, and rare-earth elements, and questioned whether joint projects could attract sufficient investment without reinforcing extractivist models. French MEP Valérie Hayer called for innovative, public-led infrastructure investment to diversify supply chains and ensure that benefits reach workers and communities, not just multinational corporations.

In the cultural and education sphere, officials proposed expanding Canada’s participation in the Erasmus+ programme and simplifying artist visas, while also extending mutual recognition of professional qualifications to break down barriers for working people and creative communities.

EU leaders may also seek to finalize the long-pending Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and a digital trade accord, which Šefčovič expects to conclude by year-end. The digital agreement is seen as a priority for the October summit, with hopes it will protect digital rights and prevent tech monopolies from dominating the market.

Security cooperation could include greater Canadian involvement in the EU’s €150 billion defence funding scheme SAFE and a role in the revised EU Arctic Strategy, which aims to address hybrid threats and new maritime routes while respecting Indigenous rights and environmental protections.

"We want to do something more than a strategic policy that we have," Tuts said, referring to existing agreements and the need for transformative change.

The proposals will be discussed further as Carney prepares to address the European Parliament later this week, with an EU-Canada summit scheduled for October in Montreal. Progressive voices hope this partnership will set a new standard for international cooperation rooted in justice and equality.