Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has proposed granting Canada associate membership in the European Union.
According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing sources, the initiative is aimed at accelerating Ottawa’s rapprochement with Europe following the failure of trade negotiations with the United States.
Despite the EU’s strict membership requirements, the bloc is prepared to consider the proposal. For several months, Carney has held private talks with the leaders of France, Italy, Germany and the Nordic countries, seeking to deepen Canada’s integration into the European market.
The proposal includes the possibility of bringing Canada into the EU’s $21 trillion single market, as well as cooperation in defense, energy, artificial intelligence and the supply of strategically important critical minerals.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
