Canada turns towards Europe

Translated by Valeria Vinciguerra

For decades, the relationship between Canada and the European Union remained that between two like-minded but geographically distant partners, bound by common values, trade agreements and a solid diplomatic cooperation. Today, however, while the relationship between Ottawa and Washington is experiencing one of the most difficult phases in its recent history, Canada is increasingly looking towards Europe. And Europe, likewise, seems interested in discovering how far this relationship can go.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is the one who brought the topic back to the center of the debate proposing the idea of Canada becoming an “associate member” of the European Union. Canada, though, is neither seeking to become a real member of EU, nor to strengthen existing agreements. The idea, which is still being explored, would be to build a deeper form of participation in the European project, especially in strategic sectors such as energy, defence, artificial intelligence, critical materials and digital infrastructures. The timing of this proposal is not accidental, but comes alongside the deterioration of trade relations with US that has pushed Canada to seek new partners and reduce an economic dependence that for decades had seemed almost inevitable. Washington remains Canada's leading market, but trade tensions and US political uncertainty made it necessary for Ottawa to diversify its economic and strategic relations. In this context, Europe represents a natural partner. Canada and the EU share democratic political systems, compatible regulatory standards and a long tradition of multilateral cooperation. Above all, they possess complementary resources and capabilities. Canada has critical materials, energy, territory and technological capabilities, while the European Union offers a huge integrated market, industrial capacity and a regulatory framework that can become an instrument of international influence.

This partnership, moreover, is already much more advanced than the debate of recent days suggests. Canada is already involved in the European SAFE program, which aims to strengthen European defence industrial capacity, and Ottawa and Brussels are increasing cooperation on critical materials, economic security and digital trade. Diplomatic dialogue intensified as well: at the beginning of September, for the first time, the Canadian Prime Minister attended a Gymnich meeting, an informal assembly of EU foreign affairs ministers.

The possible “association” would therefore have a primarily geopolitical function. It would not be limited to tariffs and market access. In an increasingly divided international system, Canada and the EU could seek to create a common space between the United States and China, reinforcing their supply chains and their autonomy of action in strategic sectors. The topic of critical materials is particularly significant. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and other materials are essential for batteries, digital technologies, energy infrastructure, and the defence industry. Europe is trying to reduce its dependence on a few external suppliers, especially from China. Canada, thanks to its resources and its political stability, can become one of the preferred partner of this strategy. The same goes for defence. Canada’s approach to Europe comes as European allies increasingly openly discuss about gaining a greater autonomy in the industrial and military sectors. Canadian participation in SAFE and cooperation with European industries show how transatlantic security can assume different forms than in the past, without necessarily depending on Washington.

However, numerous questions remain. For instance, Canada cannot simply join the single market without accepting European rules, standards and control mechanisms. And the idea of a new status of “associate member” does not exist today as a consolidated category of the Union. For this very reason, the initiative could force Brussels to question its ability to create flexible forms of integration with countries that share the same interests but cannot, or do not want, to become a member of the EU.

The next meeting between the European Union and Canada will be especially important. EU-Canada Summit, which will take place on 29 and 30 October in Montréal, could provide the opportunity to transform recent discussions into a new concrete agenda. It is not certain that this meeting will result in a real project of an “associated membership”. But the mere fact that this possibility is on the table today points to something deeper: Canada is seeking a new position in a world where the reliability of old alliances can no longer be taken for granted. The European Union, on the other hand, has the possibility to demonstrate that its international weight derives not only from the size of its market, but also from its ability to attract strategic partners.

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