Canada seeks extraordinary membership in European Union

Moscow (ANTARA) - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has proposed that his country become an extraordinary member of the European Union to accelerate a shift in the direction of cooperation with Europe following the failure of trade talks with the United States.

This was reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing sources from both parties. The European Union, known for its strict membership rules, is reportedly open to Prime Minister Carney’s idea, according to the report.

The newspaper reported that Carney has spent months conducting closed-door talks with leaders from almost all major European nations, including France, Italy, Germany, and Scandinavian countries. The primary objective of these discussions is to integrate Canada more closely into the European market.

Furthermore, the report mentions ongoing discussions regarding the installation of undersea cables between Europe and Canada, the joint development of data centres and satellite networks, and the rerouting of Canadian gas supply routes to Europe to bypass the US.

Meanwhile, as emphasised in the publication, significant hurdles are predicted on the path towards this new integration. Canada would likely have to contribute to the EU budget, cede part of its sovereignty, and adopt internal EU regulations.

Relations between the US and Canada deteriorated drastically in 2025 after US President Donald Trump imposed a 25 per cent import tariff on Canada, citing national security threats and drug trafficking. In response, Canada implemented reciprocal measures.

Although the tariffs were temporarily frozen and various efforts were made to resolve the dispute, the US subsequently increased the tariffs to 50 per cent for steel and aluminium products. According to Bloomberg, the latest round of trade negotiations failed at the last minute due to the stance taken by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.