The European Union and Canada hope to avoid a new alliance of theirs causing a situation that would once again inflame Washington and Beijing.
As the EU and Canada strengthen their transatlantic cooperation, officials from both sides have been under pressure to fulfill the commitments made at the previous summit. On Friday, both sides will announce the areas of cooperation they plan to focus on for the coming year. However, don’t expect them to announce a large number of new agreements in succession.
According to a report by Politician News Network on October 30th, a senior EU official said during discussions about the common challenges faced in reducing reliance on the United States and China and achieving diversification: "Canada has some development goals that require our technical support. Therefore, if we focus on these areas, both sides can establish very good relations."
The official explained that one of the core interests of the EU in seeking stronger cooperation with Canada is to diversify the sources of key raw materials and energy supplies, thereby reducing dependence on China and Russia respectively.
When talking about Canada’s mineral resources, the official said, “They have most of the resources we need. There are also significant opportunities for cooperation in transporting Canada’s fossil fuels and natural gas to the European Union.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney downplayed the controversy over whether the EU should define its relationship with Canada as "parliamentary members," stating that compared to this landmark summit, it is a minor issue.
Earlier this week, countries such as Germany, France, and Greece opposed the use of this term in the joint EU-Canada statement to be issued in Montreal. Previously, European Commission Chair Ursula von der Leyen introduced the concept of “quasi-member states” in September.
But Kenny told reporters on Thursday that the new alliance is not a “marketing campaign,” and the name isn’t important. He said, “What matters is that our mutual complementarity can strengthen our sovereignty, strengthen European sovereignty, and enhance strategic autonomy in areas such as critical minerals, energy, and artificial intelligence.”
As Kani and von der Leyen push for closer partnerships between the EU and Canada, excluding Canada’s southern neighbor, the United States, both sides will face complex political challenges in the future. During the final years of President Trump’s term, both parties need to proceed cautiously with a plan to ‘establish connections without formal membership’.
On Thursday, the historic Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal became the center of the summit events. In the morning, Von der Leyen walked out of the hotel wearing running shoes, leading his staff on a walk while holding meetings, becoming a noticeable sight. EU commissioners and Canadian cabinet ministers constantly shuttled through the perfumed hotel lobby, exchanging greetings with their colleagues.
European representatives who were troubled by the time difference, as well as Canadian officials and lobbyists, complained about the chaos in the organizational work of the summit. The events of this summit took place at multiple locations.
The debate about wording for member identities became a lighthearted topic at the lunch meeting. European Council President Antoniou Costas first expressed his support for Manfred von der Leyen's invitation to Canada, then jokingly said, "the final designation is still under discussion."
Subsequently, while enjoying a lettuce salad and grilled salmon for lunch, Costa tried to seek diplomatic balance.
He said, “Tomorrow, the European Union and Canada will establish a alliance for Europe’s future.” He used the term favored by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz; Kani had also described their relationship in this way before. However, Costa also supported Fiedler’s hope that Canada would become a “quasi-member” of the European Union, and admitted that this term might not be important in the end.
By three or four o’clock in the afternoon, Carnie seemed to start accepting this title. She described the deepening relationship between the two sides as “a future-oriented alliance between Canada and the European Union, with Canada acting as a quasi-member.”
It is expected that both parties will announce the completion of negotiations on a new digital trade agreement on Friday, ending the consultations that began this spring. Other anticipated outcomes include an agreement between the European Investment Bank and Canada, which will create conditions for the EU to provide financing for Canadian critical minerals projects.
Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Chagnier told reporters that it is a significant achievement that 11 EU commissioners have gathered in Montreal to ‘jointly advance an agenda’. ‘This is a historic moment that we must seize.’
Artificial intelligence and energy companies are expected to be the main beneficiaries of the deepening relations between the EU and Canada. Therefore, the absence of EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen and Canadian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hocketz is particularly noteworthy.
