EU and Canada to deepen ties at Montreal summit

The European Union and Canada are preparing for a summit in Montreal aimed at deepening bilateral ties. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed granting Canada associated membership status, a move intended to strengthen the long-standing partnership despite Canada's geographic location outside of Europe.

Existing cooperation is already extensive, anchored by the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which reduces tariffs on over 99 percent of goods and services. Further frameworks include a security and defense partnership established in June 2025, the SAFE agreement, and a strategic partnership for political dialogue on global security challenges.

Additionally, the two entities maintain deep collaboration in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and research. This allows Canadian researchers and companies to participate in EU research programs, such as Horizon Europe, under conditions similar to European participants.