PARIS, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that France supports the agenda of rapprochement between Canada and the European Union (EU).
Macron made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Saint-Pierre, capital of the French overseas territory of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. He said it was the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister to the territory, adding that the two countries would strengthen cooperation in fisheries, security and energy.
Macron said France "very much" supports the "agenda of rapprochement" between the EU and Canada, and Canada's potential status as an associate member of the EU.
For his part, Carney said Canada and Europe would build an "Alliance for the Future" in order to strengthen their collective resilience.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed opening the door for Canada to become the first "associate member" of the EU.
In her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen said the EU and Canada would seek to upgrade their ties from the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to an "Alliance for the Future," covering manufacturing, technology, defense, the Arctic, energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI).
U.S. President Donald Trump subsequently said Wednesday that Canada's becoming an "associate member" of the EU could be considered a "hostile act" and threatened to impose heavy tariffs on Europe.
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is located in the North Atlantic, about 20 km from Canada's Newfoundland. ■