Canada urged to finalize EU deals
Academics tell MPs that vague talk of associate membership is distracting from the need for concrete legal changes to the trade agreement.
By Harper Foster ·
European policy experts told the House of Commons foreign affairs committee on Monday that Canada should focus on locking in its relationship with the European Union through strict legal frameworks. This testimony followed a summit in Montreal last week where top officials from both sides met. While the Prime Minister and EU Commission President praised the gathering as a historic partnership, the academics who testified were less impressed with the specific outcomes.
Mark Manger, a professor at the University of Toronto, noted that many of the current agreements are merely expressions of intent. He said he is still waiting for a concrete announcement from the government. Manger pointed out that Mexico already possesses many of the arrangements with the EU that Canada is currently seeking, suggesting that Canada is not securing unique privileges at this stage.
The committee heard that confusion over terminology has plagued recent diplomatic efforts. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pitched the idea of Canada becoming an associate member in September. Prime Minister Mark Carney initially avoided that specific phrasing, preferring the term alliance for the future. However, Carney stated on Thursday that the goal was associate EU membership, a status that currently lacks an official definition.
Achim Hurrelmann, co-director of the Centre for European Studies at Carleton University, described the focus on associate membership as a distraction from the actual policy work. He argued that the EU has not fully defined what this status would mean or how it would integrate into existing EU law. Hurrelmann suggested that both leaders are using the term for symbolic attention rather than because it is a practical necessity.
Anand Sundar, a transatlantic defence adviser at the European Council on Foreign Relations, testified that Brussels is pushing for this status despite strong objections from member states like Germany. He characterized the situation as a political game that serves the Commission but not necessarily all member states. Hurrelmann added that officials need to move quickly because rising far-right movements in Europe are skeptical of new partnerships.
The experts urged Ottawa to restructure the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, known as CETA. Nine of the EU’s 27 member states have not fully implemented the decade-old deal. Hurrelmann noted that Canadians are frustrated by food regulations that block imports, while Europeans complain about Canada’s dairy quotas and protected-origin rules for products like feta cheese.
Manger proposed that Canada and the EU add economic and legal parameters to the existing trade deal to make it more appealing for long-term exports and investments. He suggested a specific trade: Ottawa could allow European mobile networks to operate in Canada in exchange for the EU dropping restrictions on Canadian food imports. Hurrelmann recommended focusing on areas where the EU has clear jurisdiction, such as research, while negotiating directly with individual countries on defence and energy.
Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservatives, has argued that the government has not been clear on its European deals. He claimed the Montreal summit was a waste of time intended to distract from domestic issues. Poilievre also warned that Canada risks losing sovereignty and control of its borders if it becomes too closely tied to Europe.
