Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will address the European Parliament next month, a high-profile visit that underscores Canada’s push to deepen ties with Europe after a sharp break with US President Donald Trump as their trade war escalates.

A statement from Carney’s office on Wednesday said the prime minister will also attend the European Union’s annual State of the Union address.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to deliver her annual State of the Union address on September 16, with Carney attending as a guest of honour before addressing lawmakers the following day.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in a social media post that the visit would be “an opportunity to deepen EU-Canada ties and strengthen our bond”.

The visit comes days after US-Canada trade talks collapsed and Trump imposed new 50 percent tariffs on about US$20 billion worth of Canadian goods, prompting Ottawa to announce retaliatory tariffs.

Europe has become central to Canada’s strategy for reducing its dependence on the United States. The prime minister has argued that middle powers should work together rather than “compete for favour” with larger powers and has made at least 12 trips to Europe since taking office in March 2025.

His government has also deepened ties with Europe through a security and defence pact and Canada’s entry this year as the first non-European country in the EU’s Security Action for Europe initiative.

Carney has set a goal of doubling Canada’s non-US exports over the next decade as he seeks to reduce the country’s economic dependence on the United States.

A former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, Carney also has long-standing ties to Europe. (AP)



Edited by Altis Wong