Andrew Walsh Reports from Strasbourg

THE EUROPEAN UNION wants to take its relationship with Canada to the next level, with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen proposing that the country become the bloc’s first ‘associate member’.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this morning as von der Leyen delivered her annual State of the Union address.

Addressing Carney directly, she said Europe and Canada shared deep cultural, historical and personal ties, before setting out plans for a closer economic and security partnership.

“We will move from CETA to an Alliance for the Future to create a common prosperity and economic security space,” she said.

Von der Leyen said that the proposed alliance would involve closer cooperation on technology, defence, energy, critical minerals and the Arctic.

She added that the EU wanted to bring its relationship with Canada “to the highest level possible”.

Then came something resembling a proposal.

“We share one ocean, one set of values, one way of seeing the world,” she told Carney.

“And we will now build our shared future as well.”

She said she wanted to work with him on “opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the EU”.

The proposal is at an early stage, with von der Leyen offering no details on what associate membership would entail.

The announcement comes as Canada seeks closer economic ties with Europe amid deteriorating relations with US president Donald Trump.

Carney has been looking for new trading partners following a breakdown in trade talks with Washington and the imposition of further tariffs.

On Monday, the European Parliament announced plans to open an office in Ottawa, with parliament president Roberta Metsola saying it would help deepen cooperation between the two sides.

Canada has also become the first non-EU country to join the bloc’s defence procurement programme.

Carney is due to address MEPs in Strasbourg on Thursday, while an EU-Canada summit is scheduled to take place in Montreal next month.

Von der Leyen said trade in goods between the EU and Canada had grown by 75% in less than a decade under the CETA trade agreement.

“We want to bring the relationship with Canada to the highest level possible,” she said.