US President Donald Trump has threatened the European Union with potentially heavy tariffs and restrictions on trade after Brussels proposed making Canada its first associate member.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the proposal during her State of the Union address in Strasbourg on Wednesday, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in attendance.
Von der Leyen said the EU wanted to take its relationship with Canada to the highest level possible and proposed opening the way for the country to become the bloc’s first associate member.
The initiative would seek closer cooperation between Canada and the EU in areas including trade, defence, energy, technology, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and economic security. The European Commission described the proposed relationship as an “Alliance for the Future”.
The proposal does not amount to an offer for Canada to become a full EU member. Instead, it envisages a new form of closer association with the bloc.
Trump reacted sharply to the proposal, describing the prospect as “laughable” and warning that Washington could respond if the EU’s intentions were considered hostile.
“If it’s a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things,” Trump told reporters, according to Reuters. He added that the response would depend on whether he believed the European initiative was being pursued with good or bad intentions.
The remarks add another layer to already strained relations between Washington and both Ottawa and Brussels.
Canada has been seeking to strengthen its economic and security relationships with European countries as tensions with the United States have increased. Carney has previously called for a closer and more distinctive relationship between Canada and Europe.
Canada has also joined the EU’s SAFE defence initiative and has been exploring greater cooperation with European countries in areas including defence production, energy, artificial intelligence and digital trade.
The proposed associate membership is still at an early stage. Details of the arrangement have yet to be finalised, and EU governments would need to agree on the framework.
Carney is due to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday, where he is expected to set out his vision for Canada’s future relationship with Europe.
The latest dispute comes as the United States and Canada remain locked in a wider trade confrontation. Washington has already imposed a range of trade measures affecting Canadian goods, while Ottawa has sought to diversify its economic relationships.
The EU’s proposal therefore comes at a sensitive moment in transatlantic relations, with Canada seeking closer links with Europe and Trump warning that Washington could respond with further trade measures if he regards the move as hostile.
