 | |
 European Union |  Canada |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| European Union Delegation, Ottawa | Mission of Canada, Brussels |
Modern contemporary relations betweenCanada, and theEuropean Union (EU) and its forerunners date back to the 1950s. While the relationship is primarily an economic one, there are also matters of political cooperation. Many Canadians are native speakers ofEnglish andFrench; both beingEuropean languages.[1] In addition, several of local provincial and federal government offices of Canada practiceofficial bilingualism in these working languages.
Canada's relations with the European Union has been referred to by the 27 member-bloc as one of the European Union's "global strategic partners" and a "trusted partner for Europe."[2][3]
Twooverseas territories of EU members (Greenland andSaint Pierre and Miquelon) lie adjacent to Canadian territorial waters, as well as a land border with the Kingdom ofDenmark (via Greenland) onHans Island.
Canada's relationship withEurope is a result of the historical connections generated bycolonialism and mass Europeanimmigration to Canada. In theMiddle Ages, Canada was first colonized byVikings on the shores ofBaffin Island, along with those ofNewfoundland and Labrador. However, centuries later in theModern Age, it would be mainly colonized byFrance and, after 1763, it formally joined theBritish Empire after its conquest in theSeven Years' War. In addition, it also had colonial influence fromSpain inBritish Columbia, plus southernAlberta andSaskatchewan.
TheUnited Kingdom has extremely close relations with Canada, due to its British colonial past, and both beingrealms of theCommonwealth. However,the United Kingdom ceased to be a European Union member state on 31 January 2020. Historically, Canada'srelations with the UK and the United States were usually given priority over relations withcontinental Europe. Nevertheless, Canada had existing ties with European countries through theWestern alliance during the Second World War, theUnited Nations, andNATO before the creation of theEuropean Economic Community.
 European Union |  Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 449,206,579[4] | 41,528,680[5] |
| Area | 4,324,782 km2 (1,669,808 sq mi)[6] | 9,984,670 km2 (3,855,103 sq mi) |
| Population Density | 103/km2 (269/sq mi) | 4.1/km2 (10.7/sq mi) |
| Capital | Brussels (de facto) | Ottawa |
| Global cities[7] | Paris,Amsterdam,Milan,Frankfurt,Madrid,Brussels | Toronto,Montreal,Vancouver,Calgary |
| Government | Supranationalparliamentarydemocracy based on theEuropean treaties[8] | Federalparliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy |
| First Leader | High Authority PresidentJean Monnet | Prime MinisterJohn Alexander Macdonald |
| Current Leader | Council PresidentAntónio Costa Commission PresidentUrsula von der Leyen Parliament PresidentRoberta Metsola | KingCharles III Prime MinisterMark Carney |
| Official languages | 24 official languages, of which 3 considered "procedural" (English,French andGerman)[9] | English andFrench (seeOfficial Languages Act 1969) |
| Main religions | 72% Christianity (48%Roman Catholicism, 12%Protestantism, 8%Eastern Orthodoxy, 4% Other Christianity), 23% non-Religious, 3% Other, 2%Islam | 67.3%Christianity, 23.9% Unaffiliated, 3.2%Islam, 1.5%Hinduism, 1.4%Sikhism, 1.1%Buddhism, 1.0%Judaism |
| Ethnic groups | Germans (ca. 80 million), French (ca. 67 million), Italians (ca. 60 million), Spanish (ca. 47 million), Poles (ca. 46 million), Romanians (ca. 18 million), Dutch (ca. 13 million), Greeks (ca. 11 million), Portuguese (ca. 11 million),and others | 74.3%European 14.5%Asian 5.1%Indigenous 3.4%Caribbean and Latin American 2.9%African 0.2%Oceanian |
| GDP (nominal) | $16.477 trillion, $31,801 per capita[when?] | $1.793 trillion, $50,577 per capita[when?] |
The history of Canada's relations with the EU is best documented in a series of economic agreements:
In 1976, theEuropean Economic Community (EEC) and Canada signed a Framework Agreement on Economic Co-operation, the first formal agreement of its kind between the EEC and an industrialized third country. Also in 1976 theDelegation of the European Commission to Canada opened inOttawa.
In 1990, European and Canadian leaders adopted a Declaration onTransatlantic Relations, extending the scope of their contacts and establishing regular meetings at Summit and Ministerial level.
In 1996, a new Political Declaration on EU-Canada Relations was made at the Ottawa Summit, adopting a joint Action Plan identifying additional specific areas for co-operation.
On 30 October 2016, the "Strategic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Canada, of the other part" was signed in Brussels.[10][11] This agreement seeks to deepen political dialogue and cooperation between the EU and Canada and to strengthen relations in fields such as human rights, international peace and security, economic and sustainable development, justice, freedom and security. The agreement provisionally entered into force on 1 April 2017.[12][13]
Since as early as June 2007, theGovernment of Canada led byPrime MinisterStephen Harper had been pressuring the EU and its member countries to negotiate a Canada-EUfree trade agreement.[14][15] Former French prime ministerEdouard Balladur supported the idea, while former Canadian trade negotiator Michael Hart called the idea "silly."[16] The Canada Europe Roundtable for Business (CERT), founded in 1999, had been a principal advocate for a free trade agreement supported by more than 100 Canadian and European chief executives. CERT was co-chaired by former Canadian trade minister Roy MacLaren and former editor ofThe Economist magazine Bill Emmott.[17]
In June 2009,EU Trade CommissionerCatherine Ashton andCanadian Minister of International TradeStockwell Day released a joint statement regarding the start of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).[18] Minister Day stated "This first meeting represents a solid step toward a historic economic agreement between Canada and Europe. These negotiations are a priority for our government."[18]
Previously, Canada and the EU remained at odds over an EU ban on importingseal products and Canada's visa requirement for the EU citizens of theEU member states ofRomania andBulgaria.[19][20][21] The visa requirement for the EU citizens of Romania and Bulgaria were lifted in November 2017.[22]
CETA has been provisionally applied since September 2017. See the articleComprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement for details of compromises made.
In 2023, Canada and the European Union held a summit inNewfoundland and established a framework for jointrenewable energy development known as theCanada–European Union Green Alliance with stated goals to develop shared means for science and technology standards and cooperation as well as climate and environmental protection concerning their net-zero ambitions.[3][23]
On June 23, 2025, Canada the European Union signed a Security and Defense Partnership that will increase Canada's participation in SAFE, the EU's joint arms procurement initiative.[24] The Security and Defense Partnership expands cooperation between Canada and the EU in areas such as support to Ukraine, security, and climate change.[25]
Canada is a cooperating state of theEuropean Space Agency since 1979.[26] In 2019, Canada was proposed to join the EU'sHorizon Europe scientific research initiative, becoming an Associated Member in 2024.[27][28]
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Since 2005, several European and Canadian editorialists have considered thatCanada could join theEuropean Union (EU),[29][30] even though such ideas were proposed already a decade earlier, for example in the 1994 piece "Friends & Neighbours : Dear Prime Minister of Canada, Kindly Join the EU Next Thursday", a critique of NAFTA the authorMiodrag Kojadinović dubbed "TheDouble Yu(c/k) Alliance fromYukon toYucatán".[31]
Proponents argue that, unlike the rest of countries of the Americas, the cultural and political values of Canadians and Europeans have much in common, and that Canadian membership would strengthen both sides politically and economically.[32][33] While conceding that Canada, located inNorthern America, andEurope are over 3,000 km (1,900 mi) distant, being separated by the NorthAtlantic, proponents note that the EU already has a member outside Europe,Cyprus, that is geographically inWestern Asia. In addition, Canada is the closest American sovereign country to the European continent because of its Arctic proximity, specifically toNorthern Europe. This could become much more relevant ifGreenlandjoined the European Union again.[34][35] In turn,Iceland, which is close to Greenland, is geologically located at the junction of theNorth American and Eurasiantectonic plates, but is considered a European country politically, historically, and culturally.[36] The EU and Canada enjoy a very close and friendly strategic partnership. The Delegation of the EU to Canada, in close cooperation with the missions of EU countries, promotes European culture year-round through a number of well-established public diplomacy activities. These events have been effective in increasing the knowledge and understanding of the EU and its relations with Canada.[37]
In addition,CETA is possibly the farthest-reaching FTA between the EU and a third country.[38] Because of the nature ofCETA, some[who?] have said that it would not be that far of a leap to EU membership. Canadian provinces ofQuebec,Ontario, andNew Brunswick would help to strengthen the Francophone bloc in the EU together withFrance,Belgium, andLuxembourg (EU membership may also help to curbseparatist sentiments in Quebec). Canada can also bring an Anglophone bloc to the EU afterBrexit. In addition, it may decrease Canadian dependence on theUnited States regarding trade and security. It would also easily meet theCopenhagen Criteria for EU membership. Additionally, the EU is Canada's second-largest trading partner. Canadian and EU officials have not yet commented on this.[29][39][40] Thetrade war between the United States and China and as well as between the North American countries, plus thesocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, have opened a debate about the possibility of Canada's membership in the EU.[41][42]
On 23 January 2025, following thesecond inauguration of Donald Trump, former German foreign ministerSigmar Gabriel proposed admitting Canada into the EU, emphasizing Europe's need to look for new allies in light ofTrump's second term in office.[43] Shortly thereafter,a trade war between United States and Canada heightened public discussion about Canada joining the EU.[44] In a post on X, former Belgian prime ministerGuy Verhofstadt advocated for Canada's membership into the EU.[45]
In a March 2025 poll conducted byAbacus Data, 44% of Canadians support the Canadian government looking into joining the EU given Trump's tariff and annexation threats, while 34% are opposed and 23% are unsure.[46] When asked if there is general support for Canada becoming an EU member state, 46% of Canadians expressed support while 29% are opposed and 25% are unsure.[46] In response to the poll, European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said she is "honoured with the results of such a poll."[47][48] While not explicitly ruling out Canada's EU prospects, Pinho confirmed that Article 49 of the Treaty on the European Union states that only "European states" can apply for EU membership and stressed that there are "criteria foreseen in the treaties, indeed, which foresee what is necessary for an application, for an accession to take place."[47] German MEPJoachim Streit has asked the Commission and the European Parliament for the possibility of Canada joining.[49] In response to Streit,Vice-President of the European CommissionKaja Kallas stated that while Canada and the EU have extensive historical, cultural, political and economic links, Canada does not qualify as a 'European' state as defined by Article 49 in theTreaty on European Union, nor are there any plans to revise theTreaties or to assess the benefits and possible consequences of Canadian accession to the EU.[50]
In a May 2025 online survey conducted by Research Co., a Canadian public opinion firm, 46% of Canadians support initiating a formal process for EU membership, while 38% oppose.[51] When broken down by political party affiliation, a majority ofLiberal (51% support, 34% oppose) andNDP (51% support, 37% oppose) supporters, as well as a plurality ofConservatives (45% support, 43% oppose), favour EU membership.[51] At the2025 The Hague NATO summit, Canadian prime ministerMark Carney stated he would not aim for Canada to join the EU, though he would support closer ties between the two.[52]
There is an ongoing tension over the EU ban on the import of seal products. This was thought to be a motivating factor in Canada's efforts to block the EU's efforts to join theArctic Council.[53]
Canada has also had bilateral territorial disputes with EU member states (see:Turbot War,Territorial claims in the Arctic, andCanada–France Maritime Boundary Case).
As of 31 January 2025[update],Canadian passport holders are not required to obtain a visa for visits to the European Union's mainSchengen area regarding stays of up to 90-days within any single 180-day span of time.[54]European Union passport holders may be allowed visits up to 180-days to Canada. Canadian passport holders will be required (starting in mid-2025), to obtain an approvedvisa waiver through theEuropean Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS); while EU passport holders need to similarly secure currentElectronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to negotiate their rights of travel to Canada.[55][56]
Under the Migrant Integration Policy Index, published in 2020 the Canadian market was ranked to have an average score of 80%, with ranges between 50% and 100% in several key factors in relation to ease for migrants. Canada's lowest ranked area of 'halfway favorability' being political participation at 50 percent, and the greatest area of favorability beingAnti-Discrimination at 100 percent.[57] The EU sponsored index ranked each of the EU states individually.
| Canada–European Union Summits | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Country | City | Ref | Image |
| 19 | February 12, 2025 |  Belgium | Brussels | [58] |  |
| 20 | June 22–23, 2025 | Belgium | Brussels | [59][60] |  |
Canada and the EU share the same goals, values and a common world view. As one of EU's global strategic partners, Canada works closely with the EU towards further deepening effective, mutually-beneficial political and economic cooperation.
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Canada shares the longest undefended border in the world with the United States. Their economies are deeply intertwined with hundreds of billions in trade. But this week's decision by Ottawa to reject Washington's missile defense plan shows that politically, Canadians are from Venus and Americans from Mars.
Q: How will CETA open up the Canadian services market? A: In services and investment CETA is the most far reaching agreement the EU has ever concluded. Half of the EU's economic growth from CETA is expected to come from more trade in services.
Information for Canadians visiting or living in Europe.
This is a general overview - for more details contact the embassy or consulate of your main destination country.
Most people need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada - not both. Some people may only need their valid passport. Answer a few questions to see what's right for you.
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