Carney Pitches a 'New Alliance' in Brussels as Canada Eyes EU Association

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney used a speech to the European Parliament on Thursday to pitch what he called a new alliance with Europe, shrugging off the threat of US retaliation, according to The Local Italy. The address came a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen raised the prospect of Canada becoming the bloc's first associate member.

Von der Leyen framed the idea around closer cooperation on technology, defence and energy, The Local reported. No such category currently exists in the EU's treaties, so the proposal is a political signal rather than a legal instrument at this stage.

The two statements, a day apart, amount to the most concrete public discussion yet of a formalised partnership between the EU and a non-European country that stops short of membership.