EU-Canada 'love story' needs more than warm words, senior MEP warns

The offer comes as geopolitical upheaval draws Brussels and Ottawa closer together. Canada is embroiled in a trade war with its traditional US ally, while the EU is struggling to keep Washington on its side over Ukraine. The two sides are due to meet at a summit in Montreal at the end of next week, with agreements expected in several areas, including critical raw materials and digital cooperation.

Beyond trade deals

Cremer insisted that the relationship must amount to more than 'a trade deal 'plus''. 'There must be a new quality to the relation.' He called for a 'pragmatic approach,' involving sectoral agreements covering trade, defence, digital cooperation, the Arctic and students, but also going further.

Institutional framework

The MEP suggested that Canada could participate 'as an observer' in the Council of the EU, where national ministers meet, and called for the creation of a formal parliamentary partnership assembly. Such a body could follow the model of the existing EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, which brings together 35 members from each side twice a year for sessions that can focus on specific policy areas.

Regarding the UK, Cremer described it as a European country for which, 'if it wishes so,' the ambition 'should not be associate membership, but full membership.' His comments came as UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently floated the idea of rejoining the EU, with polls showing that a majority of Britons want to return to the bloc.

Cremer also argued for closer cooperation not only with the UK and Canada, but also with countries such as Australia and South Korea. 'I think it is of our interest to bring all of these actors together and say 'hold on, actually the majority of the world wants to play 21st century politics which is focused on collective security, on shared interests, on mutual respect rather than might is right.''