Canada-EU Summit set to launch additional talks on a deeper partnership

OTTAWA — A stronger alliance between Canada and the European Union would only include a financial commitment if either side joins specific programs in either jurisdiction, a senior government official says.

Canadian officials briefing reporters today said the government would only be tied to a financial commitment if it joins a program like Erasmus+, the EU’s student exchange program.

The officials told today’s technical briefing that the Canada-EU Summit in Montreal on Thursday and Friday will focus on deepening ties in areas like business, technology, defence, critical minerals and energy.

Some European nations have rejected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s characterization of the arrangement as “associate membership.”