Carney is scheduled to attend von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech on Wednesday before addressing MEPs on Thursday, when he is expected to pitch a closer partnership with the EU as Ottawa fights a trade war with Washington. He will continue his European tour with meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
The initial news that von der Leyen wouldn’t attend Carney’s address had caused uproar among some Members of the European Parliament. “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,” said Social Democratic Belgian lawmaker Kathleen van Brempt.
Barry Andrews, liberal Irish MEP chairing the development committee, said non-attendance was “surprising” and that von der Leyen had to explain the reasons for her decision.