Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, had a telephone conversation with his G7 counterparts on 6 January 2026.
This first exchange between G7 foreign ministers under the French G7 presidency provided an opportunity to discuss the main international issues of current (…)
The G7 (Group of 7) is a group for discussion and concertation, which brings together the Heads of State and Government of seven of the most industrialized countries in the world (France, the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany) each year to identify common answers to major global and economic challenges. The European Union is represented by the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission. The G7 has no legal existence, permanent secretariat or official members. It is the Presidency, which is held by one of the seven countries in turn every year, that provides the resources required for the group’s work.
The G7 was created on France’s initiative following the first oil crisis. The first Summit was held in 1975, in Rambouillet (France) with six countries (France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy and Japan). The “G6” then expanded to include Canada the following year, and the European Commission in 1977. Russia was included in the group in 1998 (making it the G8), then was excluded when it invaded Crimea in 2014.
It was conceived as an informal forum for dialogue between the leading economic powers, with the primary aim of acting as a forum to coordinate economic and financial policies. Over the years, the G7’s multilateral dimension has helped established a collective framework for better regulation of globalization.
In addition to addressing the economic issues and major geopolitical crises it focused on initially, the G7 is now a forum for concertation where common responses are found for major global challenges around peace and security, counter-terrorism, development, the environment and digital technologies.
Seven years after its previous Presidency, which culminated in the Biarritz Summit, France again took over the G7 Presidency on 1 January 2026. The Leaders’ Summit will be held in Évian-les-Bains, from 15 to 17 June 2026.
Profound imbalances are threatening the stability of the global economy, leading to major commercial and geopolitical tensions and encouraging protectionist tendencies, to the detriment of shared growth. Reducing global imbalances is therefore the priority of France’s G7 Presidency.
France’s ambition is to restore the G7’s initial vocation, making it a forum for dialogue between major economic powers, both within and beyond its members themselves.
The Presidency will be organized around seven ministerial tracks: foreign affairs, development, trade, finance, the digital sector, the environment and home affairs. This structure will enable work on issues including:
Almost 60 working groups will meet regularly throughout the year. Civil society will be represented in its full diversity by 13 engagement groups which will be involved in G7 work.
The French G7 Presidency will also be an opportunity to follow up on the international summits hosted by France in 2025: United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 : Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (UNOC, United Nations Ocean Conference), the Nutrition for Growth Summit, and the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit. It will also dovetail with other international events organized by France, like the One Health Summit and Africa Forward Summit.
Functioning and interministerial coordination of France’s positions
The Diplomatic Adviser to the President of the Republic is traditionally the “G7 and G20 Sherpa”. As such, they take part in the meetings of the Sherpas, the political advisers of Heads of State and Government, whose role is to prepare international summits (final declaration and political deliverables). At the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Director-General for Global Affairs, Culture, Education and International Development acts as Sous-Sherpa. The G7/G20, OECD and International Summits Department, under the authority of the Director-General, is responsible for preparing the Sherpas’ meetings and summits within the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in liaison with all relevant interministerial services.
The G7 offers a unique framework: its select and informal membership allows the leaders of the seven members to engage in frank and direct dialogue.
The effectiveness of this dialogue draws on a set of shared values within the group: democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and free markets.
The G7 has a rotating presidency. The country chairing the group hosts the annual summit and organizes ministerial and technical meetings.
The Presidency decides on whether third countries are invited to the summit. The last time France held the G7 Presidency was in 2019 (Biarritz Summit from 24 to 26 August). It invited Chile, India, Australia, South Africa, Rwanda, Egypt, Burkina Faso and the African Union Commission. During the 2025 Canadian G7 Presidency, Australia, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, India, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Ukraine were invited to the Summit.
The G7 has been behind very concrete achievements including the creation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Deauville Partnership launched after the “Arab Springs”, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Muskoka Initiative to reduce maternal and infant mortality, as well as supporting the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.
In recent years, the G7’s action has furthered progress in multilateral responses to crises stemming from globalization, through tangible commitments:
G7 Summits are therefore decisive in mobilization for development (climate finance, global health, infrastructure financing, etc.) and for peace and prosperity. The G7 also plays a role of leadership and support to multilateral initiatives initiated under the United Nations system.
Canada held the Presidency of the G7 from 1 January to 31 December 2025. The Leaders’ Summit was held in Kananaskis (Alberta), on 16 and 17 June 2025.
Under the Canadian Presidency, the group furthered new commitments:
The Leaders’ Summit was held in Apulia on 13 and 14 June.
Several commitments were made:
Updated: January 2026
