---
title: Carney Backs a Status Short of Canada Joining the EU, a Day After Trump Threatens Tariffs
description: Carney backs EU associate membership for Canada a day after Trump threatens tariffs, and says any deal will be debated and voted on in Parliament.
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2026-09-17T19:29:51.993Z
updated: 2026-10-20T13:28:22.071Z
canonical: https://www.richmanmagazine.com/article/carney-canada-eu-associate-status-trump-tariffs
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/pexels-modern-architecture-of-the-european-parliament-building-in-s-31513702.jpg
categories: Royal & Society
content_type: News
region: Canada, Europe
publication: Rich Man Magazine
access: members
about:
  - type: Person
    name: Mark Carney
    description: Mark Carney is the Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Liberal Party. He previously served as Governor of the Bank of Canada and Governor of the Bank of England.
    jobTitle: Prime Minister of Canada
    sameAs:
      - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Carney
  - type: Organization
    name: European Union
---

Mark Carney told the [European Parliament](https://www.europarl.europa.eu/portal/en) on 17 September that Canada wants deeper ties with the European Union in trade, defense, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, space, research and financial services. He spoke a day after Donald Trump called a Canadian move toward Europe a possible "hostile act" and threatened "very heavy tariffs."

About 70% of everything Canada sells abroad goes to the United States. CUSMA, the agreement that covers most of that trade, went through its mandated joint review around 1 July this year, and the United States did not agree to the automatic 16-year extension, which leaves the agreement's future unsettled while American tariffs stay on Canadian goods. Carney's bet is that Canada can tie its economy and its security to Europe without joining it.

The offer came from Ursula von der Leyen, [president of the European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/about/organisation/president_en), in her State of the Union address in Strasbourg on 16 September. "I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the European Union," she said, with Carney sitting in the chamber. He stood, walked over and embraced her. No EU treaty contains a status called associate member, and von der Leyen did not set out what rights or obligations would come with it. Sovereign has already [looked at the forms such a status could take](https://www.richmanmagazine.com/article/canada-eu-associate-membership).

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