EU Parliament Expands Ottawa Presence

The European Parliament will establish an antenna office in Ottawa to strengthen parliamentary relations between the European Union and Canada, the institution announced Sept. 14. The office will expand the Parliament’s engagement with Canadian audiences and support closer political cooperation.

The decision comes ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s planned address to the European Parliament on Sept. 17. It follows discussions between European Parliament officials and the speaker of the Canadian Parliament, as well as President Roberta Metsola’s participation in a G7 speakers’ meeting in Canada last year.

The Ottawa office will facilitate parliamentary exchanges and promote awareness of the European Parliament’s work. Its regional remit will include the Arctic, providing a platform for cooperation on issues of increasing strategic importance to both the EU and Canada, including security, trade and regional governance.

The new office will become the Parliament’s 10th location outside the European Union. Existing offices operate in regions and cities including Washington, New York, London, Kyiv, Jakarta, Addis Ababa and Panama.