Canada and European Union prepare to launch ambitious new strategic alliance at Montreal summit

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Mark Carney will host European Union leaders in Montreal on October 29 and 30 for a major summit aimed at establishing a deeper strategic and economic partnership between Canada and the 27-member bloc.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa will join Carney for discussions covering trade, defence, energy, critical minerals, technology and international security.

The summit is expected to launch a proposed “Alliance for the Future,” a framework designed to strengthen economic cooperation and reduce dependence on increasingly unpredictable global trading relationships.

Carney confirmed that the meetings would initiate formal negotiations toward a broader partnership over the coming year. European officials have suggested that Canada could eventually develop a form of associate relationship with the EU, although the precise structure and obligations of such an arrangement remain unresolved.

The initiative builds on the Canada–EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and a security and defence partnership established in 2025. Canada has since become the first non-European country to participate in the EU’s Security Action for Europe initiative, providing Canadian defence manufacturers with access to new procurement opportunities.

Ottawa views closer European integration as an important component of its strategy to diversify international trade and strengthen Canada’s economic sovereignty amid tensions with the United States.

Canada and the EU exchanged approximately $178 billion in goods and services in 2025, making Europe Canada’s second-largest trading partner.

The Montreal summit is expected to establish a roadmap for further negotiations, with both sides aiming to make substantial progress before their next summit in 2027.