About the G7
The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal forum that brings together Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The European Union also participates in the Group and is represented at the summits by the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.
Historical background
The Group was established as a platform for economic and financial cooperation in response to the 1973 energy crisis. The first Summit of Heads of State and Government was held in 1975 in Rambouillet, France. It included France, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Italy. In 1976, with the admission of Canada, the G7 took its current configuration. Since 1977, representatives of the European Economic Community, now the European Union, also participate in the work of the Group. The EU does not hold the rotating presidency of the G7.
The G7 expanded into the G8 between 1997 and 2013, with the inclusion of Russia. However, Russia’s participation was suspended in 2014 following the illegal annexation of Crimea.
Over the years G7 has progressively expanded its focus. From an ad-hoc gathering to discuss financial challenges, it has become a more formal, prominent venue to address major global issues. This evolution became even more evident at the beginning of the new millennium, as the G7 recognized the need for more technical and detailed discussions on these complex issues. Consequently, it initiated the first thematic Ministerial Meetings, to delve deeper into specific topics and bring more nuanced insights into the G7’s deliberations. The G7 is a group united by common values and principles, and plays an invaluable role on the international arena in upholding freedom, democracy and human rights.
How the G7 process works
Compared to an international organization, the G7 does not have a permanent administrative structure. Each year, starting from the 1st of January, one of the Member States takes over the leadership of the Group on a rotating basis. The Nation holding the Presidency serves as a temporary secretariat and hosts the Group work and the Leaders’ Summit. Most importantly, the Presidency plays a key role in setting the agenda and identifying key priorities. On January 1, 2024, Italy assumed the Presidency for the seventh time in its history, succeeding Japan, and will hand it over to Canada on December 31, 2024.
The Summit, the G7 Presidency’s centerpiece, is attended by the Heads of State and Government of the seven Member States, representatives of the European Union, as well as States and International Organizations invited by the Presidency.
The G7 Summit concludes with the adoption of a communiqué outlining important political commitments. These communiques – and more broadly the G7 decisions – have a significant influence on global governance and decision-making processes.
The Summits are prepared by the Sherpas, who are personal representatives of the Heads of State and Government. Sherpas are responsible for overseeing the negotiations and drafting the Group’s final communiqué. The process incorporates contributions from various tracks, including Political Directors, Foreign Affairs Sous-Sherpa (FASS) and the Finance-Deputies.
Ministerial Meetings
Since 1998, due to the gradual expansion of the G7 agenda, the Group has been convening at the Ministerial level to address specific issues.
They play a crucial role in ensuring a coherent and thorough approach to the G7 agenda and provide a solid foundation for the Summit discussions and negotiations. Many of the Ministerial Meetings’ outcomes and decisions feed into the Sherpa track and in the final communiqué.
The Meetings took place across the whole national territory.
In 2024, the Italian Presidency hosted 23 Ministerial Meetings.
The involvement of civil society
Engagement with relevant stakeholders is a fundamental part of the G7’s approach. To widen participation and integrate diverse perspectives into its decision-making process, the G7 has established civil society’s Engagement Groups. These groups bring together representatives from various sectors of civil society. Each Group focuses on a distinct issue (e.g. research, science, culture). It mirrors the governmental process by organizing its own Summit and ends its work by delivering to the G7 Presidency a set of recommendations for the Leaders.
Dialogue with emerging economies and developing Nations
The G7’s engagement with – and inclusion of – emerging economies and developing Nations has evolved alongside the progressive expansion of the Group’s agenda. A notable example was at the 2001 Summit, where Italy pioneered the “African segment”. This segment featured dedicated dialogue sessions between G7 Leaders and representatives of invited African Nations.
This process has continued over the following decades, where the G7 focus has continued to expand, shifting to address a wide array of global issues, including the climate-energy nexus and food security.