From Newsweek · · 1m 20s
Canada shops for a new partner in Europe
Mark Carney is floating a status the EU has never offered anyone: associate member.
In brief
Mark Carney is floating a status the EU has never offered anyone: associate member. Canada is trying to cut its dependence on a US market that takes 72 percent of its exports, but an EU workaround would take years to build. Originally reported by Newsweek.
Carney looks east
Canada's prime minister is exploring a partnership with the EU to cut his country's reliance on the US, as the trade war with Trump escalates.
A status that doesn't exist
Carney has raised the idea of Canada becoming an EU "associate member." No such category exists, though European officials are reportedly weighing it.
“a status that does not currently exist”
Tariffs and 51st state talk
Washington and Ottawa are trading tariffs on tens of billions in commerce, while Trump keeps floating Canada as the 51st state. Ottawa has firmly refused.
Breaking a 72 percent habit
The US absorbed roughly 72 percent of Canadian exports in 2025. Turning toward Europe would be the biggest shift in Canadian economic policy in generations.
Beyond just goods
Talks cover energy, AI, defense and critical minerals, plus data centers, satellite networks, undersea cables and freer movement of workers.
Europe moves slowly
Carney addresses the European Parliament this week, but the EU resists flexible membership deals. The existing Canada-EU trade pact still isn't fully ratified after a decade.
“stop doing memes”
The short version
Canada is trying to cut its dependence on a US market that takes 72 percent of its exports, but an EU workaround would take years to build.
