EU and Canada plan far-reaching alliance to strengthen partnership

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The European Union and Canada are working toward a new, all-encompassing relationship that will range from trade to security, as the transatlantic partners seek to build a new alliance to offset the global power politics dominated by the U.S. and China.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the top executive of the EU, is expected to announce the plans at her state of the union address in Strasbourg, France, Sept. 16, according to people familiar with the preparations. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend the speech then address European lawmakers the following day.

Carney's government has made a deeper EU partnership a top priority and is actively looking at everything short of actual membership, said a Canadian official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The discussions are particularly focused on "strategic capabilities," such as cooperation on defense, space exploration and scientific research.