Canada and EU announce 'Alliance for the Future' partnership at Montreal summit

■ Steady

Canada and EU launch 'Alliance for the Future' partnership at Montreal summit

On Thursday in Montreal, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the Alliance for the Future, a partnership open to other countries and framed as a hedge against geopolitical unpredictability. A joint declaration issued ahead of the summit said the proposal for Canada to become an associate EU member had been dropped, though the two sides will deepen ties. Also on Thursday, a US food distributor facing a $40M tariff bill sued the Trump administration over 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods, arguing they are illegal.

• A report published Thursday says EU-US relations have deteriorated, citing tariffs on European goods, claims on Greenland and a diesel deal with Putin.
• Seven tankers carrying an estimated 288,000 tonnes of Russian diesel are heading to the US, according to Greenpeace tracking. It is uncertain whether they can unload amid a row over the legality of the shipments.
• On Wednesday, EU gas prices topped €100 per megawatt hour for the first time since 2022, with storage 72% full. The EU says it is not worried about supplies but warns of a difficult winter for households.
• Canada signed a trade deal with the UAE on Wednesday, and internal documents say it faces an EU carbon tariff threat within months.