Canada looks to Europe - Trump threatens EU with tariffs and a trade shutdown

Donald Trump has responded to Canada's possible move closer to the European Union with a new threat. On Wednesday, the U.S. president said in North Carolina that the invitation for Canada to become an associate member of the EU could, in his view, amount to a "hostile act." If he came to that conclusion, he said he would impose "very serious tariffs" or stop trading with Europe. Trump was there campaigning for Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley. He called the idea of Canadian EU membership "laughable" and described Canada as a "terrible trading partner." If the European initiative was well-intentioned, he said, that was fine with him. If he saw bad intentions behind it, Europe would have to expect heavy tariffs. The political dispute now comes with an immediate price tag.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday in her annual address in France that she wanted to open the door for Canada to become an associate member. Canada could become the 1st country with such a status. Mark Carney was present for the speech. One day later, the Canadian prime minister addressed the European Parliament and called for closer cooperation. That cooperation should be deepened on critical minerals and on defense industrial capacity. Artificial intelligence should be part of it as well. A closer relationship with Europe would strengthen Canada's sovereignty, Carney said. It should also make life more affordable and create new opportunities. Citizens' security should benefit as well. People should continue to be able to live their lives the way they choose.

Canada was not seeking power to dominate others, Carney said. The country wanted to become more resilient so that no one could control its open markets or undermine its national sovereignty. Its territorial integrity must not be threatened either. Canada wanted to protect its freedoms and its democratic order. The same applied to the rule of law. An open trade conflict is already underway between Washington and Ottawa. Trump and Carney have imposed tariffs on each other in recent weeks. Ottawa responded to Trump's 50 percent tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of Canadian goods with measures of its own. The dispute is also hitting American industries. Steel and aluminum are among the sectors that could suffer from the conflict. At the same time, the dispute is straining relations with America's 2nd-largest trading partner. Trump is now explicitly linking the European initiative to the possibility of additional tariffs or even a trade shutdown. Canada, meanwhile, is pursuing a broader economic strategy.

Carney did not mention Trump by name in his speech to the European Parliament. But earlier in September, he said Canada was entering a new era that should no longer be defined by dependence on the United States. The past 40 years had brought ever deeper economic integration with the U.S. That arrangement had been convenient, he said, but it had made Canada too dependent on a single economic partner. That time was over. His speech in Europe carried that same idea forward: closer ties with the EU are meant to give Canada more room to maneuver and reduce its dependence on a single market.

Die Europäische Union bietet Kanada eine engere institutionelle Verbindung an. Carney spricht über mehr Zusammenarbeit und größere Eigenständigkeit. Trump antwortet mit der Möglichkeit schwerer Zölle gegen Europa und bringt sogar einen Handelsstopp ins Spiel, falls er die Einladung als feindselig bewertet. Noch ist offen, wie eine assoziierte Mitgliedschaft konkret aussehen würde. Politisch ist die Richtung jedoch sichtbar: Kanada sucht zusätzliche Bindungen, während Washington wirtschaftlichen Druck als Antwort darauf bereithält. Nach 40 Jahren wachsender Verflechtung mit den Vereinigten Staaten erklärt Carney diese Phase für beendet. Trump macht deutlich, dass er den europäischen Weg Kanadas genau beobachtet.