On 17 September 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg and called for an „Alliance for the Future” between the European Union and Canada. A recording of his address is available at this link, while information about the joint press conference is available here.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the EU and Canada share a commitment to the rule of law, human dignity, individual freedom and democracy. He argued that their economic and strategic strengths complement each other and provide a strong basis for a deeper partnership founded on common values and mutual benefit.

The proposed cooperation would focus on strategic areas including critical minerals, defence industrial capacity, artificial intelligence and computing infrastructure, energy security, space and payment systems. Its purpose would be to strengthen the strategic autonomy of both partners in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment.

Other potential areas for closer cooperation include education, research and financial services. The Prime Minister specifically referred to Canada’s possible participation in Erasmus+, its involvement in the EU’s future research and innovation investment programme and the creation of a more integrated market for financial services.

The EU and Canada already maintain close economic ties through CETA, which has been provisionally applied since 2017 and has reduced tariffs and facilitated trade in goods and services. Building on this foundation, the proposed alliance could further strengthen the security, prosperity and sovereignty of both partners without creating a new geopolitical power bloc.