G7-G8

Composition
Presidency
Preparation of the summit
An informal group
Evolution of topics addressed
Texts adopted during the summit
Ministerial meetings

Proposed by France in 1975, the G8 is an informal discussion group between the heads of state and government of the world’s most industrialized countries. The objective of the G8 is to identify the measures to take for the major issues concerning globalization and to encourage their implementation in the appropriate international organizations. With no legal personality or permanent secretariat, the G8 does not take obligatory measures and serves primarily as a driving force.

Made up of six members when it was created in 1975, and then seven members in 1976 with Canada, the group is now identified as the “G8” because of the inclusion of Russia, which happened progressively from 1992 to 2003 (full participation in the Evian Summit). Nevertheless, the finance ministers continue to hold some G7-format meetings. The Presidency of the EU keeps the non-G8 European countries informed and the President of the European Commission has been participating in the summits since 1977.

The presidency of the G8 rotates among all the G8 members, for one calendar year. Germany holds the presidency for 2007. The next five presidencies are held by: Japan (2008), Italy (2009), Canada (2010), France (2011) and the United States (2012). The country holding the presidency organizes the summit, the ministerial meetings and all of the preparatory meetings. France last held the presidency in 2003 (Evian Summit).

The summit is prepared by the personal representatives of the heads of state, the “sherpas” (the President of the Republic’s diplomatic advisor for France).

  The sherpas meet several times before the summit (four times for the German presidency) to oversee the negotiation of the texts for the summit.

  The meetings of the foreign affairs deputy sherpas (FASS - the director of economic and financial affairs of the FAM) and finance deputy sherpas (FSS - the department head of multilateral affairs and development of the DGTPE) are held between the meetings of the sherpas in order to facilitate their work. The presidency divides the negotiation of texts between the two deputy sherpas, and the sherpas form the appeal and political arbitration body.

The tradition of the G8 is to maintain a light and informal structure. Nevertheless, two topics are now the focus of regular expert consultations, under the supervision of the sherpas:

  The fight against terrorism and organized crime in the context of the Group of Lyon/Rome, taken from the name of the two summits that presided their respective creations: the Group of Lyon in 1996 for the fight against organized crime and the Group of Rome in 1982 for meetings of experts on terrorism.

  The global partnership for the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, set up in 2002 and monitored by different groups of specialized experts.

Also of interest is the creation in 2002 of a network of personal representatives for Africa. These designated representatives - Mr. Michel Camdessus for France - are preparing their third report this year (after 2003 and 2005) on the implementation of the G8-Africa partnership.

A shift from economic issues to political issues (1980s):

  The first series of summits (1975-78) dealt exclusively with economic issues (recovery of consumption, response to the oil crisis).

  Political issues were introduced progressively, due to international events (Iranian and Afghan crises in 1979, etc.). Little by little, the political agenda is becoming an integral part of the activities of the G8.

A shift from debates to the challenges of globalization (1990s):

  With the collapse of the USSR and the spread of the market economy model to practically the entire planet, the G8 will progressively modify its agenda to address all of the issues related to globalization.

  Environmental issues are addressed for the first time at the Summit held at the Grande Arche in 1989 and are now a regular feature on summit agendas (following up on the Rio conference, encouragement to sign the Kyoto Protocol, etc.).

  Public health issues (fight against major pandemics, such as HIV/AIDS, action plan for the eradication of polio).

  International trade (support for the conclusion of the Uruguay round and the creation of the WTO in 1995).

  Security issues (creation of the Group of Lyon on organized crime and the Group of Rome on terrorism).

Two series of texts adopted by the heads of state and government during the summit must be distinguished:

  So-called economic declarations, negotiated by the deputy sherpas and the sherpas (two declarations are planned this year at the Heiligendamm Summit: “growth and responsibility in the global economy”, “growth and responsibility in Africa”).

  So-called political declarations negotiated by either the Group of Lyon/Rome (on counter-terrorism this year), or the NPDG (on non-proliferation), or the NSSG (on nuclear safety and security), or by the political leaders (specifically for topical regional political issues).

Two types of ministerial meetings should be distinguished:

  Ministerial meetings that are practically institutionalized: the meetings of foreign affairs ministers (one before the summit and the other one in September, alongside the United Nations General Assembly), the meetings of finance ministers (four times a year, as a general rule: in February, alongside the Spring meetings of the IFIs, before the summit, alongside the Autumn meetings of the IFIs), the meetings of justice and interior affairs.

The other ministerial meetings are organized by the presidency in accordance with the topics on the summit agenda. This year, Germany has scheduled an environmental ministerial meeting (15 to 17 March), a cooperation and development ministerial meeting (26 and 27 March), a labour and social affairs ministerial meeting (6 to 8 May), and a foreign affairs ministerial meeting devoted to energy issues (December).

[1] Non-Proliferation Directors Group

[2] Nuclear Safety and Security Group