G7: joint action
We live in a world of interdependency and exchanges. The challenges we face every day, in the economic, environmental and security fields, are also faced by millions of people worldwide. No country can address them alone. It is together, in coordination, that we will find lasting solutions.
That idea led to the creation of the G6, now the G7, in 1975, as the first oil crisis revealed the need for greater international economic cooperation. Today, more than ever before, the major global commercial, financial and environmental imbalances require constant dialogue and coordination between nations.
Every year, the G7 countries meet to work together on major issues such as peace and security, economic prosperity and its sustainability, development, the environmental transition and new technologies.
Who are the G7 members?
The G7, or Group of 7, are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union has been fully involved in G7 work since 1977.
What sets it apart is its lack of a legal existence, permanent secretariat or ex officio members.
The only rule is that the Presidency is held each year by one of the seven States, which provides the necessary resources for the group’s work and sets out its political priorities. This system is known as a rotating presidency.
The G7’s strength is its small size and the relationship of trust, built year after year, that enables the Heads of State and Government to speak freely and directly, even when they are in disagreement.
What is the link between the G7 and the G20?
Their names and functioning are similar. Since the 2008 financial crisis, the G20 Summit has been an annual meeting of 19 Heads of State and Government : Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, alongside the European Union. In 2024, the African Union also gained a permanent seat at the G20, and France was one of the countries behind that decision.
The G20 was created in 1999, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, initially as a meeting of Finance Ministers. The aim was to work on shared solutions to avoid a repetition of the financial crises of the 1990s.
The summits of G20 Heads of State and Government were established in the aftermath of the 2008 economic and financial crisis. The next year, the G20 was designated the “leading global economic cooperation forum”.
Together, the G20 countries currently represent 85% of global GDP, and account for two thirds of the world’s population. This economic and demographic clout enables them to address systemic crises effectively.
The decisions made at the G20 therefore have real importance, as the members address a broad range of subjects including global economic cooperation, global issues such as climate change and the fight against inequalities, and international cooperation on essential subjects such as counter-terrorism.
The 2026 G20 Presidency will be held by the United States of America.