Canada and EU: Alliance for the Future Launched, Canada to Become EU's First Associate Member
Canada and the European Union launched the Alliance for the Future at the 21st Canada-EU Summit in Montréal on October 30, announcing more than twenty new measures. Prime Minister Mark Carney was joined by European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Prime Minister's Office said the two sides are working towards the deepest possible partnership short of accession, with Canada becoming the European Union's first Associate Member; the substance, scale and scope of that membership will be determined over the coming months.
Measures announced include the conclusion of a Canada-EU Digital Trade Agreement, Canada's first agreement dedicated entirely to digital trade, and of negotiations toward a Competition Agreement; Canada joining the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, giving its researchers access to the JUPITER supercomputer; a contract of more than $44 million for Montréal-based Galvion to provide military helmets to Latvia; and up to $2.5 billion in financing for Alberta-based De Havilland to increase waterbomber production to help fight wildfires in Europe and Canada.
The two sides will also negotiate connecting their instant payment systems, a joint working group on banking and insurance, expanded Erasmus+ participation and Horizon Europe, and will study a transatlantic data cable and increased Canadian LNG exports to Europe. The EU is Canada's second-largest trading partner, with about $178 billion in goods and services trade in 2025.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 照片：加拿大蒙特利尔市景，Wilfredor 摄，Wikimedia Commons，CC0 授权 / Photo: Montreal, Canada, by Wilfredor, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
