London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 01, 2025

What's the G7, what countries are members, what does the group do and how often does it meet?

What's the G7, what countries are members, what does the group do and how often does it meet?

WORLD leaders from seven of the largest economies of the world will meet this weekend to discuss everything from the environment to the economy. Here's the lowdown on the G7, its members, and why it's protested by thousands every year.

What is the G7?

Also known as the Group of Seven, these countries are the seven largest economies of the world.

Together, they represent more than 62 per cent of the global net wealth ($280trillion).

The group was founded in the early 1970s as the seven countries discussed concerns about the collapse of the oil industry.

Since then, 43 summits have been held across the globe as members discuss everything from the environment to the economy.

The group was previously known as the G8 and counted Russia among its members, but Russia has been excluded since annexing the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in early 2014.
Which countries are members?

The seven members are:

    Canada
    France
    Germany
    Italy
    Japan
    United Kingdom
    United States

How often are summits held?

Summits are held annually, and hosted on a rotation basis by the group's members.

The 2018 summit was hosted by Canada in Quebec from June 8-9.

The 45th G7 summit will be held this year from August 24-26 in Biarritz in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.
What does the group do?

The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies, as well as the EU and European Commission.

It offers the leaders of these nations the chance to come together and tackle the most challenging global issues of the time.

In the last 40 years, the G7 claims to have "strengthened security policy, mainstreamed climate change and supported disarmament programmes".

In 2019, the UK became the first major economy to pledge to cut fossil-fuel emissions to zero by 2050.


What's on this year's agenda?

On the agenda for this year's summit will be the ongoing trade war between the United States and China, the European-backed nuclear deal with Iran currently opposed by President Trump, and the unrest that continues to unfold in Hong Kong.

The meeting will also be Boris Johnson first major appearance on the world stage since he became prime minister in July.

It will be seen as an opportunity to acquaint himself with world leaders ahead of the UK's EU exit and to discuss alternatives to the current exit deal with EU leaders.

Johnson is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with President Trump to discuss the relationship between their two countries.
What criticisms have been made of the G7?

G7 gatherings tend to attract thousands of protesters.

In 2018, protest groups in Quebec focused on global trade, the environment, migration, aboriginal rights and a number of other issues.

A coalition organised "a mass demonstration against the G7, capitalism, patriarchy, colonialism, racism and borders".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×