US President Donald Trump has once again resorted to his characteristic rhetoric, threatening retaliation should the European Union admit Canada as an associate member, Politico reports.
On the 16th of September, Trump told reporters he might respond with “serious tariffs” if Canada were to forge closer ties with the EU. He believes this would pose a threat to the US at a time when it is engaged in a trade war with its northern neighbor.
Following remarks by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding closer cooperation with Canada, the US President dismissed the idea of Canada becoming an associate member as ridiculous. He told reporters that Canada had been a terrible trade partner. He added that he viewed the prospect of Canada’s deeper integration into the EU as a hostile act and threatened to impose very serious tariffs or halt trade with Europe entirely.
Trump left the door open to accepting the new arrangement if the agreement were pursued with good intentions, but warned that otherwise, the US would impose very high import tariffs on Europe. Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen spoke publicly for the first time about the idea of making Canada the EU’s first associate member state.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also attended her speech.
The European Commission President stated that she wishes to work with European nations to open up the possibility for Canada to become an associate member. She also outlined plans to build a broader alliance based on the existing EU-Canada trade agreement.
The proposal caught many European capitals off guard, and it appears that Canadian leaders view the idea with reservation. It is also unclear what associate member status would entail, particularly given that no such status is defined in current EU law. Canada’s new ambassador to the EU, Jonathan Wilkinson, was quick to dismiss the offer. He told reporters in Strasbourg that the time was not right and that Canada is currently focused on achieving tangible results.
Trump’s comments come at a time when Canada is seeking to reduce its economic dependence on the US. A serious trade war has developed between the two countries. Carney has called for a unique alliance with the EU but has not endorsed the idea of associate member status. Carney is set to address the European Parliament on the 17th of September.
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