Monday 21 Sep 2026 @ 11:20
Chatham House
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‘Coupling without fusion’: Canada and Europe test a new kind of alliance

EXPERT COMMENT

The deeper relationship proposed by Carney and von der Leyen could send a powerful geopolitical message. But can agreement be reached without antagonizing EU candidate countries?

There is something rather extraordinary about the geopolitical times we live in. They are making what seemed impossible yesterday possible today, and what once sounded laughable increasingly credible. This week’s proposals for closer integration between Canada and the EU undoubtedly belongs to that category. 

On 16 September, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the EU’s first ‘associate member’. The next day, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney used his address to the European Parliament to set out an unusually ambitious programme of economic and strategic integration.

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Original article link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/09/coupling-without-fusion-canada-and-europe-test-new-kind-alliance

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