Ursula von der Leyen Absent as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Addresses EU Parliament

On Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to address the European Parliament at 11:30 a.m. in Strasbourg. The speech is intended to outline a “wishlist” for closer Canada-EU ties ahead of a bilateral summit slated for October. Carney will deliver the remarks a day after attending European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s annual State of the Union speech at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France.

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Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho confirmed that von der Leyen will not be present in Strasbourg because she must return to Brussels for “prior commitments,” one of which is a press conference on the child-online-safety initiative. In her stead, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefcovic, a senior member of von der Leyen’s team, will represent the Commission during Carney’s address. Pinho noted that the Commission is routinely represented by a member during all Parliament keynote speeches and debates, with most commissioners traveling back to Brussels for the final plenary sessions.

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Von der Leyen’s absence underscores the logistical constraints of the Commission’s schedule rather than a diplomatic rebuff. By delegating representation to Šefcovic, the EU maintains a formal presence while allowing the president to focus on the child-online-safety agenda, a priority highlighted in recent policy discussions. Carney’s speech, positioned as a pre-summit platform, is expected to set the tone for negotiations in October, signaling Canada’s desire to deepen economic and regulatory cooperation despite “deteriorating relations with Washington,” as noted in the briefing.

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The upcoming Canada-EU summit in October will test whether the agenda outlined by Carney gains traction within Brussels, especially as the Commission balances its broader policy commitments with the need to engage external partners.

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