Govind Tekale
Prime Minister Mark Carney is embarking on a European tour this week, signalling Canada’s intent to deepen its relationship with the European Union and United Kingdom. He travels to Strasbourg, France, and Liverpool, UK, from September 15–17, with an agenda focused on trade, investment, security, and artificial intelligence.
In Strasbourg, Carney will address the European Parliament at the invitation of its president, Roberta Metsola, and will meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and members of parliament. In Liverpool, he will meet UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham for the first time, focusing on defence, security, energy, critical minerals, and AI policy.
The timing reflects a broader shift in Canada‘s international economic strategy. The European Union is Canada’s second-largest trading partner in goods and services, with roughly $178 billion in annual trade. European direct investment in Canada totalled $217 billion in 2025, making the EU Canada’s second-largest source of foreign direct investment after the United States. Meanwhile, Canadian companies have invested $315 billion in the EU.
This deepening relationship has accelerated over the past year. In February 2026, Canada became the first non-European country to join the EU’s Security Action for Europe initiative, unlocking hundreds of millions of dollars in market opportunities. In May, Carney became the first non-European leader to attend a European Political Community Summit, held in Armenia. Canada is set to host the Canada-EU Summit in late October.
Behind the scenes, Carney has been exploring an “associate member” status with the EU for several months, according to recent reporting. In June 2025, Carney stated that full EU membership was not under consideration. A March 2026 poll showed just under half of Canadians favoured joining, though full membership would require unanimous treaty revision from all member states. An associate member status represents a lower-tier alternative, though Europe has not received a formal proposal from Canada.
“In a more dangerous and divided world, Canada and our European partners are moving ever closer,” Carney said. “Our shared values, complementary strengths, and common interests serve as the strong foundation on which we can build a stronger future.”
The US remains Canada’s largest trading partner by a wide margin, making this European engagement a matter of economic diversification rather than reorientation.
