The EU will be represented by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
A more deglobalised, less multilateral world will not make the world safer and more prosperous.(…) Only a global approach, anchored in effective multilateralism, can address today’s complex challenges.
European Council President Charles Michel
The summit in Hiroshima is an opportunity for G7 leaders to demonstrate their strong determination to uphold the international order based on the rule of law, and to strengthen their outreach to the Global South.
The main issues to be addressed during the eight working sessions are:
- Russia’s aggression against Ukraine
- engagement with international partners
- nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation
- economic resilience and security
- climate, energy and environment
- food, health and development
The Japanese presidency has also invited leaders from Australia, Brazil, the Comoros, the Cook Islands, India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea and Vietnam to take part in several working sessions during the summit.
At the end of the summit, the leaders are expected to adopt a leaders’ communiqué.
At the summit, Japan would like to demonstrate G7’s strong determination to categorically reject military aggressions, any threats or uses of nuclear weapons, as well as attempts to overthrow the international order.
The international community is now at a historic turning point, having experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and being faced with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which has shaken the very foundation of the international order
Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
The year of the G7 presidency also serves as an opportunity to turn the attention of younger generations to global issues and encourage them to take action.
The G7 summit is a forum that plays an important role in shaping global responses to global challenges, complementing the global economic coordination carried out by the G20.
It brings together leaders from the EU and the following countries:
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Japan
- the United Kingdom
- the United States
The last G7 summit was held in Schloss Elmau, Bavaria, Germany, in June 2022.
Leaders have been meeting in the G7 format since 2014, following the Russian Federation’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The EU as G7 member.
In 1977, representatives of the then European Community participated in the London summit. Originally, the role of the EU was limited to those areas in which it had exclusive competences, but this role has expanded over time.
The EU has gradually been included in all political discussions on the summit agenda and, since the Ottawa summit (1981), has taken part in all summit working sessions.
The EU has all the responsibilities of membership. The summit communiqué is politically binding on all G7 members.
The rotation of the presidency is as follows: Canada in 2018, France in 2019, the USA in 2020, the United Kingdom in 2021, Germany in 2022, Japan in 2023, and Italy in 2024.
