Follow the Euronews live blog as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivers his much-anticipated speech at the European Parliament.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to address the European Parliament on Thursday morning and lay out his vision of a deeper, broader partnership between his country and the 27-strong bloc.
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It comes a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen invited Canada to become the EU's first-ever "associate member", a novel concept that lacks legal precedent and raises more questions than answers.
Overnight, US President Donald Trump threatened to slap "very serious tariffs" on Europeans if the idea of "associate membership" were carried out as a "hostile act".
"I think it's laughable," Trump said.
In a reaction statement, the Commission said: "The proposed strengthening of our partnership with Canada is not against anyone else, but for our common strength."
Follow the Euronews live blog.
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'Associate membership' for Canada is 'not against anyone', Brussels tells Trump
We've just heard a brief reaction from the European Commission to remarks by US President Donald Trump, who threatened to impose "very serious tariffs" on the EU if the idea of granting "associate membership" to Canada were carried out as a "hostile act".
"As our President made clear yesterday, the proposed strengthening of our partnership with Canada is not against anyone else, but for our common strength," a Commission spokesperson said.
Trump threatens EU over ‘hostile’ plan to make Canada associate member
European Commission chief Ursula Von der Leyen pitched the idea of associate membership for Ottawa during her annual State of the Union speech on Wednesday, wi…
Ireland backs 'associate membership' for Canada
Ireland has thrown its weight behind the novel idea of granting "associate membership" for Canada, becoming one of the first, if not the first, EU countries to endorse the move explicitly.
"I welcome the announcement of President von der Leyen in her State of the Union address to explore associate membership for Canada," Ireland's Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said on Wednesday.
Thomas Byrne, Ireland's minister for European affairs, who attended von der Leyen's speech, said the proposal was a "significant moment".
"The EU-Canada partnership is one of mutual benefit and common strength," Byrne said.
Ireland currently holds the EU Council's rotating presidency.
I welcome the announcement of President von der Leyen in her State of the Union address to explore associate membership for Canada.
Welcome to the Euronews live blog
Good morning! We are following the aftermath of Ursula von der Leyen's headline-making invitation to Canada to become the European Union's first-ever "associate member".
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to address the European Parliament at 11.30 am. Will he offer his own interpretation of what "associate membership" means?