Carney Sets Target for E.U. 'Associate' Membership Amid U.S.-Canada Trade Standoff

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday laid out his vision for Canada becoming an “associate” member of the European Union as he moves to reduce Canada’s reliance on the U.S. amid a trade standoff with Washington. Closing out a two-day E.U.-Canada summit in Montreal, Carney told reporters: “Today, the European Union and Canada are launching the ‘Alliance for the Future,’ a new partnership of nations that will leverage our strategic capabilities and a variable geometry of like-minded nations to address common issues.” He noted that the alliance will focus on “increasing our collective sovereignty and resilience in areas such as AI, energy, critical minerals, quantum, and beyond.”In parallel, Carney continued, the E.U. and Canada are working toward “the deepest possible partnership, short of accession, because of our geography, with Canada becoming the European Union's first ‘associate’ member. In the coming months, we will determine the full substance, scale, and scope of this new form of membership." Carney said he plans to attend a meeting of European leaders in June to conclude negotiations on the proposed relationship.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen ann...