EN DIRECT : du Sommet Canada-UE • LIVE: from the Canada-EU Summit

Summary

The Canada–EU summit announced a major expansion of ties. Leaders described a new “Alliance for the Future” and plans to develop an unprecedented form of EU associate membership for Canada.

The proposed relationship would fall short of full membership, which leaders said is not possible, but could bring Canada closer to the EU than any previous partnership of this kind. Its goals are to create more opportunity and prosperity, strengthen resilience and security, and help both sides uphold democratic values and the rules-based international order.

Agreements and cooperation announced

The signing ceremony covered several initiatives:

• A framework agreement governing the European Investment Bank’s activities in Canada.
• A declaration on Canada’s participation in the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking.
• Agreements to deepen Canada–EU cooperation on secure space connectivity and Galileo-related services.
• A political agreement concerning negotiations for a Canada–EU digital trade agreement. Ursula von der Leyen later said negotiations on the agreement had concluded.

The leaders also announced plans to deepen cooperation on research, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, energy, semiconductors, finance, and secure data infrastructure. The EU will make its supercomputers available to Canadian researchers and startups. Carney highlighted prospective Canadian participation in Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, and the Galileo positioning and navigation system.

Expected benefits for people and businesses

Carney said closer ties could make it easier for students, apprentices, researchers, and workers to study or work across the Atlantic. He argued that joint research and access to European supercomputing could speed up discoveries, including in medical research.

The digital trade agreement is intended to reduce barriers for businesses selling across the Atlantic. Leaders also pointed to improved market access, smoother trade, and more competition in areas such as financial services. Carney said a new competition agreement had been concluded and that the two sides would explore opening their markets to each other’s banks, insurers, and financial-technology companies.

Von der Leyen emphasized the potential for companies to scale up, create jobs, and benefit from more secure supply chains. She said the European Commission’s proposed “Made in Europe” rules would include countries with which the EU has free-trade agreements, including Canada under CETA, subject to the legislative process.

Security, energy, climate, and Ukraine

The leaders framed the alliance as a way to strengthen collective sovereignty—not as a partnership directed against other countries. Carney cited defence and industrial cooperation, including Canadian production of Saab-Bombardier GlobalEye aircraft and plans to increase production of De Havilland water bombers for wildfire response. He also referred to Canadian energy exports to Europe and plans to explore transatlantic and potentially transarctic data cables.

Both sides stressed cooperation on climate change, natural disasters, and democratic resilience. Von der Leyen said Canada would take part in the EU’s €90-billion Ukraine support loan. Carney put Canada’s initial contribution at €500 million, describing it as support for Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction.

Next steps and press questions

Carney said the two sides would work out the scope of the associate-membership arrangement in the coming months. A joint meeting of the European Commission and the Canadian federal cabinet is planned for the spring, with the aim of concluding discussions by June. Costa also referred to further meetings, including a planned visit by Carney to a European Council meeting.

Asked about the cost of associate membership, Carney said the arrangement was not a matter of paying an admission fee, but of pooling resources and sharing the benefits of cooperation. On proposed EU carbon-border and anti-deforestation measures, he said the teams had worked to find common solutions, but the exchange did not provide details about exemptions.

Presenters and contributors

Summit leaders and speakers

• Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
• António Costa, President of the European Council
• Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

Signing participants

• François-Philippe Champagne, Canadian Minister of Finance and National Revenue
• Nicola Beer, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank
• Evan Solomon, Canadian Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation
• Henna Virkkunen, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
• Mélanie Joly, Canadian Minister of Industry
• Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space
• Mary Ng, Canadian Minister of International Trade
• Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security

Journalists asking questions

• Alex, identified in the subtitles with TV World; the name is incomplete or unclear
• Christian Noel, Radio-Canada
• Jorge Valero, Bloomberg
• Christopher Nardi, National Post