EU Commission President Reverses Attendance Decision for Canadian Prime Minister’s EU Parliament Speech

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she will attend Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday, overturning an earlier plan to miss the event. The change follows a text-message clarification from Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho, who said the President’s press conference and that of Executive Vice President Virkkunen were moved to Strasbourg to accommodate the appearance.

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Prime Minister Carney’s visit includes a meeting with von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech on Wednesday, followed by his own address on Thursday where he is expected to propose a tighter partnership with the EU as Canada navigates a trade dispute with the United States. The tour will continue with meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

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Paula Pinho explained that the President’s schedule was rearranged to allow both the press conference and Carney’s speech to take place in Strasbourg on the same morning. The Commission’s logistical shift underscores the priority placed on the Canada-EU dialogue amid broader discussions on defense, critical raw materials, and other emerging agreements.

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• “The President will attend PM Carney speech at the EP in Strasbourg on Thursday. In view of that, we managed to move the press conference by President von der Leyen and [Executive Vice President] Virkkunen to Strasbourg, also on Thursday morning,” — Paula Pinho, after commission chief

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• “One of Europe’s most important allies is coming to address your Parliament. And as the President of the EU Commission, you decide not to show up? Really, von der Leyen? That’s more than bad manners. It’s unacceptable,” — Social Democratic Belgian

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