Canada-EU Summit set to launch additional talks on a deeper partnership
Posted October 28, 2026 11:48 am.
Last Updated October 28, 2026 12:17 pm.
OTTAWA — A stronger alliance between Canada and the European Union would only include a financial commitment if either side joins specific programs in either jurisdiction, a senior government official says.
Canadian officials briefing reporters today said the government would only be tied to a financial commitment if it joins a program like Erasmus+, the EU’s student exchange program.
The officials told today’s technical briefing that the Canada-EU Summit in Montreal on Thursday and Friday will focus on deepening ties in areas like business, technology, defence, critical minerals and energy.
Some European nations have rejected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s characterization of the arrangement as “associate membership.”
European officials repeatedly used the phrase “alliance for the future” to describe the partnership in a media briefing Tuesday — a phrase embraced by Prime Minister Mark Carney.
European officials say this week’s summit is meant to advance conversations on deeper ties that can be finalized at the 2027 Canada-EU Summit, a timeline Carney supported in a comment before the weekly cabinet meeting Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2026.
David Baxter, The Canadian Press
