The press periodically publishes articles on meetings and decisions adopted by the G8. But everyone knows what is hidden under this phrase and what role this club plays in world politics. How and why the G8 was formed, who is included in it and what is discussed at the summits - this will be discussed in this article.
History
In the early 70s, the world economy faced a structural economic crisis and at the same time, relations between Western Europe, the USA and Japan began to aggravate. To solve economic and financial issues, it was proposed to hold meetings of the leaders of the most industrially developed countries. This idea arose at a meeting of top officials of the governments and states of Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, the USA and Japan, which took place from November 15 to 17, 1975 in Rambouillet (France).
The initiator of this meeting was the French president Giscard d'Estaing, and which meetings they decided to hold annually. In 1976, this informal association accepted Canada into its ranks and evolved from the Six to the Seven. And after 15 years, Russia became part of the G7 and the now-famous "Big Eight" has turned out. This term in Russian journalism appeared as a result of incorrect decoding by journalists of the abbreviation G7: in fact, it did not mean “Great Seven” (“Big Seven”), “Group of Seven” (“Group of Seven”). Nevertheless, the name has taken root and no one else names this club.
Status
The G8 is a kind of unofficial forum for the leaders of these countries, which takes place with the participation of members of the European Commission. It is not an international organization, does not have a charter and a secretariat. Its creation, functions or powers are not fixed in any international treaty. It is rather a discussion platform, pool or club in which consensus is reached on the most important issues. The decisions that the G8 makes are not binding - as a rule, they are only a fixation of the participants’intentions to follow a developed and agreed line or are recommendations to other participants in the political arena. As for the issues discussed, they mainly concern health care, employment, law enforcement, social and economic development, the environment, energy, international relations, trade and the fight against terrorism.
How and with what frequency do meetings occur?
The G8 Summit, according to established tradition, is held annually. This usually happens in the summer. In addition to the official leaders of countries and heads of government, these meetings are also attended by the President of the European Commission and the head of the country, which at this moment presides in the EU. The venue of the next summit is planned in one of the participating countries. The G-8 of 2012 met in Camp David (USA, Maryland), and this year, 2013, a meeting is scheduled for June 17-18 at the Loch Erne Golf Resort, located in Northern Ireland. In exceptional cases, instead of the G8, the “Big Twenty” is assembled: the meeting is held with the participation of Spain, Brazil, India, South Africa, South Korea and several other countries.
