Carney: Canada cannot and is not seeking to join the European Union

Washington (ANTARA) - The Canadian government cannot and is not seeking to become a member of the European Union (EU), stated Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday.

“I want to convey one more thing… Canada is not in a position and is not seeking to become a full member of the European Union,” Carney said during a joint press conference with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

The Prime Minister noted that the framework currently being discussed to strengthen relations between Ottawa and Brussels possesses a different character, relevant to the long history of Canada’s relationship with Europe.

When asked further about limitations regarding Canadian sovereignty in a potential new partnership with the EU, Carney stated that Canada desires a complementary partnership without any party dictating terms.

“We want a partnership that is complementary and strengthens our sovereignty, and that is what is being offered here,” said Carney.

“Canadians are united that no one will determine the language we use, no one will dictate our culture, or with whom we can make international agreements,” Carney emphasised.

In her State of the Union address to the European Parliament on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated there are plans to make Canada the EU’s first “association member.”

Furthermore, she noted that both parties will elevate their relationship from the current basis of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to a higher level of partnership. Carney was also in attendance at the event.

Meanwhile, the Canadian government is working to diversify its international trade partnerships amidst ongoing trade disputes with the United States.

At the end of August, Carney stated that Canada and the European Union would begin intensive talks this autumn to enhance economic and security partnerships.