MONTREAL – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced an objective to finalize negotiations for a new partnership with the European Union by June 2027, aiming to establish Canada as the bloc’s first “associate member.” The announcement followed a two-day summit in Montreal, where Carney met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa. “We are working for the closest possible partnership, short of full membership, with Canada as the first associate member of the European Union,” Carney stated. He added that both parties would define the specific scope and areas of this cooperation in the coming months. The concept of an associate membership was initially proposed by President von der Leyen. However, the proposal has faced resistance from several EU member states, most notably Germany, which has questioned the terminology as such a status is not currently provided for under existing EU treaties. In a joint statement released following the summit, the leaders did not explicitly mention “associate membership,” but agreed to define a closer relationship by the next summit in 2027. During the summit, Canada and the EU launched the “Alliance for the Future,” an initiative designed to strengthen cooperation in economics, trade, technology, and security. The parties concluded negotiations on a new digital trade agreement intended to facilitate business operations and data exchange. Additionally, they agreed to promote European investment in Canada’s critical minerals sector, which is essential for the production of electric vehicles and defense equipment. The expanded cooperation is set to include artificial intelligence, supercomputing, energy, cybersecurity, and Arctic security. Furthermore, the two sides will explore the potential for Canadian liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe and the expansion of Canadian participation in the “Erasmus+” student exchange program. This push for closer ties with Europe is a central component of Prime Minister Carney’s strategy to reduce Canada’s economic reliance on the United States. In 2025, the U.S. accounted for 71.7% of Canadian goods exports. Amid trade tensions and tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, Ottawa is seeking to diversify its economic partnerships, with Carney aiming to double exports to other markets over the next decade. Prime Minister Carney is expected to attend the European leaders’ meeting in June 2027, where he intends to conclude the negotiations for the new framework.