France supports closer ties between Canada, EU: Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron backed closer EU-Canada ties and Canada’s potential status as an EU associate member during talks with Prime Minister Mark Carney. The leaders discussed cooperation in fisheries, security and energy, alongside Ukraine, Middle East and Arctic issues 

Saint-Pierre: French President Emmanuel Macron has said that France supports the agenda of rapprochement between Canada and the European Union (EU).

Macron made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Saint-Pierre, the capital of the French overseas territory of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, on Sunday (local time).

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He said it was the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister to the territory, adding that the two countries would strengthen cooperation in fisheries, security and energy, reports Xinhua news agency.

Macron said France “very much” supports the “agenda of rapprochement” between the EU and Canada, and Canada’s potential status as an associate member of the EU. For his part, Carney said Canada and Europe would build an “Alliance for the Future” in order to strengthen their collective resilience.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed opening the door for Canada to become the first “associate member” of the EU.

In her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen said the EU and Canada would seek to upgrade their ties from the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to an “Alliance for the Future,” covering manufacturing, technology, defence, the Arctic, energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI).

Additionally, the leaders discussed major geopolitical issues, including the war in Ukraine, European and transatlantic security, the Middle East, and the Arctic. They also addressed the impact of international conflicts on energy supply and agreed to strengthen cooperation on energy security, as Canada accelerates its efforts to unlock its full potential as a superpower in clean and conventional energy.

US President Donald Trump subsequently said on Wednesday (local time) that Canada’s becoming an “associate member” of the EU could be considered a “hostile act” and threatened to impose heavy tariffs on Europe.

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is located in the North Atlantic, about 20 km from Canada’s Newfoundland.