Canada will seek to accelerate a deeper, sector-specific strategic relationship with the European Union, particularly in defense, critical minerals, energy, technology and Arctic security, though stopping well short of formal economic integration that could displace the United States. On Sept. 16, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's annual State of the Union address in Strasbourg as a guest of honor. The next day, he will address the European Parliament. The September visit will be followed by an EU-Canada summit in October. Carney's upcoming visit follows a significant expansion in formal Canada-EU relations. The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has been provisionally applied since 2017, while the two sides signed a Security and Defense Partnership at their June 2025 summit.