EU Envoy Says a ‘Unique’ New Partnership With Canada Forming Ahead of Carney Speech

The European Union is working with Ottawa to develop a partnership unlike any it currently has with another country, the EU’s ambassador to Canada says.

That is what Prime Minister Mark Carney was referring to last month when he announced plans to pursue “a much stronger and deeper security and economic partnership” with the EU, said Geneviève Tuts, head of the Delegation of the European Union in Ottawa.

The partnership will be “something unique” and will differ from the agreements the European Union has established with nations such as Switzerland, Norway, and the United Kingdom, Tuts said.

Carney is also set to speak before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Sept. 17 after accepting an invitation from European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. Tuts described it as an unusual invitation for a non-European leader.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said last month that Carney will also attend the Sept. 16 State of the EU address by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the EU Parliament.

Some media reports have suggested a deal could be finalized between the EU and Canada at the meeting next week, but Tuts said she instead expects discussions on a potential new partnership. Brussels would then hold discussions with member states, and Canada would likewise consult with the provinces, prior to a possible announcement at a summit in late October. 

Since becoming prime minister last spring, Carney has emphasized strengthening ties with Europe.

Carney’s first official trips as prime minister were to France and the United Kingdom. During his trip to France, he remarked that Canada was the “most European of non-European countries.”

In February, Canada became the first non-European country to join the EU’s Security Action for Europe initiative, which the PMO said would create “billions of dollars in opportunities and market access” for Canadian defence industries, businesses, and workers.

Then, on June 23, Carney announced the New EU-Canada Strategic Partnership of the Future, describing it as a “historic step forward for Canada’s relationship” with the EU that will deepen cooperation across trade, security, and environmental measures. 

Canada and the EU also signed a Security and Defence Partnership the same day. It is a non-legally binding framework that consolidates all security and military cooperation between the two regions under a single political framework.

The Conservatives, who are demanding that Carney recall Parliament amid U.S. trade tensions, have criticized him for planning to speak at the European Parliament before addressing Canadian legislators.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.