Canada Explores Associate EU Membership Amid US Trade War

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is reportedly exploring an "associate EU membership" for Canada amid escalating trade tensions with the US, according to the Wall Street Journal, with the EU said to be open to the idea. The move follows US tariffs on billions of dollars of Canadian goods and retaliatory measures, with relations deteriorating since Donald Trump's return to the White House in early 2025. Talks reportedly cover free movement of goods, services, and labor in areas like energy, AI, and defense. Canada and the EU are also discussing undersea cables, data centers, and satellite networks, plus visa-free work rights for Canadians. However, closer ties face hurdles, as several EU states have yet to ratify the existing Canada-EU trade deal.