EU scrambles after Trump threatens heavy tariffs over Canada 'associate member' offer

BRUSSELS — The European Commission sprang into damage-control mode Thursday over its surprise offer to bring Canada on board as the EU’s first “associate member” — a proposal that immediately triggered U.S. President Donald Trump’s wrath.

Trump threatened to impose “very heavy tariffs” if the proposal goes through, warning that he could treat European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen’s audacious offer to Ottawa as a “hostile act.”

Von der Leyen proposed upgrading relations with Ottawa during her annual State of the Union speech in Strasbourg on Wednesday, saying the move would help to “urgently reimagine our partnerships” and “build global coalitions for our resilience and democracies.”

Responding to Trump’s comments, the Commission was keen to stress the move was not intended to antagonize.

“The proposed strengthening of our partnership with Canada is not against anyone else, but for our common strength,” said Deputy Chief Spokesperson Olof Gill.

Trump’s threats drew a more robust response from Kathleen Van Brempt, the Belgian vice chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee.

“Trump has no veto over our future. We will not be pressured into abandoning that cooperation,” she said. “That Trump has immediately resorted to threats of this severity speaks volumes. It shows precisely why closer cooperation between Europe and Canada is wise and necessary. He does not think the idea is ridiculous. He fears it.”

Von der Leyen’s bombshell offer of associate membership to Canada has left the Commission isolated. The EU’s biggest countries have raised concerns about the untried concept, which appeared to be aimed at showcasing closer ties between Brussels and Ottawa as their trade relations with the United States come under strain.

The EU has no existing model for associate membership, while any decision on full membership would involve the Council, the bloc’s intergovernmental arm, and require the European Parliament’s consent.

French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot emphasized that the offer to Canada had not yet been agreed by capitals.

“Our aim is to forge ever-closer ties with Canada ... as for the exact wording — as is often the case when the Commission makes a proposal — it will need to be debated, dissected, and analyzed before we can take a position,” he said in an interview on LCI on Thursday. “We will examine what it entails, and then we will take a position.”

Carney name-checked the term in his own address to European lawmakers on Thursday, lauding von der Leyen’s “opening the door to Canada becoming the EU’s first associate member.” But he avoided discussing how this might come about and kept his comments broad and aspirational.

“We welcome this ambition — polling shows an overwhelming majority of Canadians support much closer ties. An alliance for the future is a unique, positive approach that we will define together, building on our common strengths and based on shared values,” Carney said.