G-7/8 Summits And The European Union Case Study

2. Background: G-7/8 Summits and the European Union
2.1. G-7/8 Summits
The Group of Seven or Eight is informal gathering of the head of states of leading industrial countries. The first summit was held in Rambouillet in 1975 at the initiative of French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. The members were France, Germany, Italy, USA, Japan and the United Kingdom. A year later, Canada was included making it a Group of Seven (G-7). In 1998 Russia was included to the summit making it the Group of Eight (G-8). However, Russia was excluded from the group in 2014 due to annexation of Crimea. Furthermore since 2005, the G8 has been collaborating with major emerging economies such as Brazil, China, India, Mexico
In 2013 the eight members (excluding the European Union) had more than 60% of the global GDP and 25% percent of the world population. (neki izvor) The summit has no permanent secretary and is no international organization. Decisions in the summits are not legally binding to members or non-members. Until 1990 the summits primarily focused on international trade and financial global matters but the agenda was broadened to topics such as climate change, peace and security, climate change, energy and development aid. The agenda is set by the hosting country and since the 9/11 terror attacks they have been held in excluded small places like Heiligendamm or Camp David. The questions about the influence and role of the G8 in global governance have gathered much media and scientific interest. In the literature, some authors such as Kirton (1888) view the G7-8 as an influential actor that is swift and effective in stabilizing the global financial system and international trade, and contributing to development and delivering other global public goods such as security or measures against poverty or climate change and influencing important international organizations such as the World Bank. Others such as Gill (1999) see it as system-preserving global governing body that is only bound in the strong belief in capitalism and international financial institutions and Baker
Since 2010, the EU is represented by the Commission President and the President of the European Council. Given that the EU is officially a full member, what the Presidents endorse at the G8 is politically, but not legally, binding to them. The EU attends due to its important role in the world economy and its relevance increased with the establishment of a single market, common currency and foreign policy. Although the EU is a member and regular participant at the G7-8 summits it is not clear what the role of the EU is and what the relationship with other full members is. Media and scientific works labeled the EU as the 9th member , half member or just a spectator in the