EU Eyes 'Closest Possible' Ties With Canada on Defense and AI

European Council President António Costa has called for the European Union to build the "closest possible" relationship with Canada. Speaking in an interview with POLITICO, Costa highlighted defense cooperation, artificial intelligence, and the protection of democratic institutions as the central pillars for deeper bilateral collaboration between Brussels and Ottawa.

Cooperation between the EU and international partners like Canada directly influences global policy on technology and security. Aligning standards on artificial intelligence helps determine how emerging technologies are regulated internationally, affecting consumer privacy, algorithmic transparency, and digital trade. Simultaneously, joint efforts on defense and democratic resilience aim to bolster security and guard against foreign disinformation, providing stability for citizens in an increasingly volatile geopolitical climate.

In Brussels, expressing a desire for the "closest possible" relationship with a non-member country is the diplomatic equivalent of rolling out a red carpet, though the actual work of writing the policy typically involves inspecting every thread for procedural snags. As head of the European Council—the institution that brings together the leaders of all 27 EU member states to set the bloc's overall political direction—Costa speaks for the collective strategic vision of EU governments. However, turning broad political goodwill into operational policy on sensitive topics like defense and AI governance requires navigating the EU's complex machinery. The European Commission must draft formal proposal frameworks, while member states must maintain consensus, particularly on defense files where national governments fiercely defend their sovereign decision-making powers.

Following Costa's statements, diplomatic teams and policy experts in both Brussels and Ottawa are expected to explore formal avenues for joint initiatives. Any concrete agreements regarding defense capabilities, shared AI standards, or democratic safeguards will eventually require detailed technical negotiations, approval from member-state governments in the Council, and operational backing from the European Commission.