Prime Minister Carney deepens ties with trusted allies in visit to France and the United Kingdom

STRASBOURG, France, Sept. 17, 2026 /CNW/ -- In a more dangerous and divided world, a strong, confident Canada is building strength at home and forging deeper partnerships abroad to create greater resilience. Bound by our shared values of pluralism, the rule of law, and democracy – and strengthened by our complementary capabilities – Canada looks first to our partners in Europe.

To advance this partnership, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, visited Strasbourg, France, from September 16 to 17, 2026. In Strasbourg, the Prime Minister attended President von der Leyen's State of the European Union (EU) address and addressed the European Parliament. In his address, he proposed a new partnership between Canada and the EU that is far deeper and more integrated.

The EU brings market power, research depth, and manufacturing strength to this partnership. Canada brings abundant energy, critical minerals, world-class capabilities in space, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum, and one of the world's strongest banking systems. Together, Canada and the EU can leverage these strengths to benefit both Canadian and EU citizens in a number of ways.

Deeper cooperation in critical minerals, defence industries, energy, and AI and compute would reinforce both Canada and the EU's strategic autonomy and therefore sovereignty. Deeper people-to-people ties would allow young people to live, work and study where they want – in Canada or the EU. A more integrated, seamless market for financial services would broaden choice and reduce costs for citizens. Overall, a deeper, more integrated Canada-EU partnership would create greater security, opportunity, and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic.

While in Strasbourg, the Prime Minister met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and other members of the European Parliament, to advance this vision and strengthen the foundation for a deeper Canada-EU partnership.

On September 16, Prime Minister Carney travelled to Liverpool, United Kingdom (UK), to meet with Prime Minister Andy Burnham for the first time. The leaders discussed their shared ambition to unlock new opportunities in trade, technology, and defence – and agreed that the scale of their efforts must match the urgency of the moment. To that end, Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada has formally applied to join the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force to reinforce our military interoperability and strengthen our collective security. He welcomed the UK's support on this front. The leaders also discussed opportunities to deepen defence industrial cooperation through the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), which Canada joined as an observer in July 2026. Building on this momentum, the prime ministers agreed to advance cooperation on frontier technologies, including by advancing the safe and responsible development and use of AI.

At this pivotal moment in history, a strong, confident Canada is charting a new course. We are building our strength at home and deepening ties with trusted international partners – including across Europe – to protect our sovereignty, build greater resilience, and unlock new opportunities in trade, investment, and technology for our peoples.

Quote
"In a rapidly changing world, Canada's new government proposes the deepest possible partnership between Canada and the EU. This will require a new form of partnership – a unique alliance anchored in our common values that respects our complementary strengths and systems and enhances our sovereignty and prosperity. Canada will work with speed and ambition to make this possible to create greater certainty, security, and prosperity for our peoples for generations to come."
-- The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

Quick facts

• The EU is Canada's second‑largest global trading partner for goods and services, with a total value of approximately $178 billion in 2025.
• The UK is Canada's largest trade partner in Europe. Trade has grown by a third since 2024, reaching $85 billion a year.
• Prime Minister Carney's visit to Europe builds on several actions since March 2025 to strengthen and expand Canada's relationship with Europe, including:
  • In June 2025, at the Canada-EU Summit in Brussels, Belgium, Canada and the EU announced the New EU-Canada Strategic Partnership of the Future and the Security and Defence Partnership to deepen cooperation across trade, technology, energy, and security.
  • In February 2026, Canada became the first non-European country to join the EU's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative – unlocking billions of dollars in opportunities and market access for Canadian defence industries, businesses, and workers.
  • In May 2026, the Prime Minister became the first non-European leader to participate in the European Political Community Summit, in Armenia – another example of Canada's growing role as a trusted partner to Europe.
  • In June 2026, Canada announced the first procurement secured through the SAFE initiative since becoming a member earlier this year. Under the agreement, Montréal-based Marconi Technologies will build made-in-Canada ORION tactical radios for the Polish Cyber Command.

Related products

• Prime Minister Carney meets with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola
• Prime Minister Carney meets with President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen
• Prime Minister Carney meets with President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola
• Prime Minister Carney meets with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Andy Burnham

Associated links

• Prime Minister Carney to strengthen Canada's ties with European partners in visit to Strasbourg and Liverpool
• Canada and the European Union

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office

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