Brussels, 20 May 2016
This year, the G7 summit will
take place from 26 to 27 May in Ise-Shima (Japan). The European Union will be
represented by the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker,
and the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk.
The main topics on the agenda,
as set out by this year's Japan presidency, are the global economy, investment,
trade, the refugee crisis, climate change and energy, the fight against
terrorism, foreign policy and development. Leaders will also discuss several
global health policy issues, gender equality and women’s rights.
GLOBAL ECONOMY
G7 leaders will take stock of
the global economy, and will discuss commitments to further strengthening
economic policy responses to the growing global economic uncertainty, including
structural, monetary and fiscal measures.
The role of the
EU: Despite a more difficult global environment, the EU’s recovery
continues. According to the EU’s latest economic forecast (3 May), the economy in
all Member States is expected to grow next year – albeit unevenly –;
unemployment in Europe is expected to fall below the 10% mark in 2017; and the
fiscal outlook is continuing to improve as the general government deficit and
the debt-to-GDP ratio will continue to decline gradually in both the euro area
and the EU as a whole. As external factors supporting Europe's moderate
recovery are fading, domestic sources of growth are gaining in importance.
In
its Spring 2016 European Semester package, presented on 18
May, the Commission’s country-specific recommendations focused on three
priority areas: investment (still low compared to pre-crisis
levels but gaining traction, also helped by the Investment Plan for Europe);
faster progress on structural reforms (necessary to boost the
recovery and raise the long-term growth potential of EU economies); and the
need for all Member States to pursue responsible fiscal policies and
ensure growth-friendly composition of their budgets.
INVESTMENT
G7 Leaders will address the
global demand-supply gap in investment and will help promoting infrastructure
investments. They will discuss G7 commitments to invest in areas that
contribute to sustainable growth, like green growth, energy and the digital
economy.
The role of the
EU: the Investment Plan for Europe – Investment is a top
priority for the EU. After a take-off in record time, the brand new Investment
Plan for Europe “InvestEU” is kick-starting investments of at least €315
billion into the real economy over three years. In less than one year into its
existence, the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) has already
mobilised more than €100 billion across the European Union. 141,000 small and
medium enterprises will already enjoy better access to finance, thanks to the
Investment Plan.
The Investment Plan has
started to produce structural change. Until now, European investment has often
been dominated by a limited number of large, expensive projects. Today, we are
starting to see more local projects, which are smaller and more diverse. Public
money is mobilising private finance, and supporting structural reforms. We see
more interaction between the European Investment Bank and local institutions.
In short, we are beginning to see the investment that the market has often
failed to deliver.
EFSI is helping to find new
treatments for Alzheimer's disease; transforming old industrial sites into new
offices; bringing energy efficiency into our homes and cutting our bills; and
lending a hand to start-ups who were turned away by other lenders. In more than
half of our projects, research and development are pushing the boundaries of
what we can achieve.
The money for InvestEU does
not solely come from reallocations from the EU budget. EU Member States – as
well as non-EU countries – can contribute either at the level of the
risk-bearing capacity, through a brand new European Investment Project Portal (EIPP) – the
online meeting place for project promotors and investors – or by directly
co-financing certain projects and activities. More info on http://ec.europa.eu/invest-eu.
TRADE
At the summit, the G7 members
are likely to send a strong message in support of free trade as a tool to
promote jobs and higher living standards, including calling for strengthening
the rules-based multilateral trading system and the functions of the WTO.The
issue of global excess capacity, especially in the steel sector, will also be
addressed. Furthermore, the G7 summit will be an occasion for the EU to take
stock of the ongoing trade negotiations with Japan and the US.
“Trade for all”:
the EU’s new trade strategy – Trade remains a key
component of the Commission’s strategy for jobs, growth and investment. The EU
is the world’s largest trading bloc and a staunch defender of fair and open
trade and of the multilateral trading system.
Last autumn, the Commission
presented a new trade and investment strategy for the European Union, entitled
‘Trade for All: Towards a more responsible trade and
investment policy’. The new strategy will make
EU trade policy more responsible and based on three key principles:
1. Effectiveness:
Making sure trade actually delivers on its promise of new economic
opportunities. That means addressing the issues that affect today’s economy,
which involves services and digital trade. It also means including provisions
for SMEs in future trade agreements.
2. Transparency:
Opening up negotiations to more public scrutiny by publishing key negotiating
texts from all negotiations, as is being done in the TTIP negotiations.
3. Values: Using
trade agreements as levers to promote sustainable development and European values
such as human rights, fair and ethical trade and the fight against corruption.
This means including rules on human rights, sustainable development and good
governance in future trade agreements with third countries.
The overall goal of the EU’s
trade policy is to create growth and jobs in Europe, promote development around
the world and strengthen ties with important trading partners. The EU has a
busy agenda of bilateral negotiations, including for a free trade agreement
with Japan. It has concluded a number of
other agreements, for example the recent one with South Korea that has
already brought much benefit to European exporters. The EU currently has a
number of agreements pending ratification. The EU is also actively engaged in
ongoing multilateral or plurilateral trade initiatives. One of the major
ongoing negotiations is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the EU’s
most important trading partner, the United States. By building this
transatlantic economic partnership, the EU also wants to globally help carve
new standards and rules, and safeguard existing ones.
The EU wants to stay at the
forefront in developing rules for the global economic trade, to shape
globalisation. It was in the framework of the TTIP negotiations that the European
Commission developed and proposed a new, modernised approach on investment
protection: the Investment Court System. This approach has been included in
recent agreements with Canada and Vietnam.
TAX TRANSPARENCY
Building on the G20 and OECD
commitments, G7 leaders are also likely to call for consistent action in the
field of tax transparency, in order to restore public trust in tax systems.
The role of the EU
– a top priority for this European Commission has been to deliver on
combating tax avoidance and tax evasion. Significant progress has already been
achieved.
In 2015, we presented an
Action Plan for a fair and efficient corporate tax system in the EU as well as
an ambitious tax transparency agenda to tackle corporate tax avoidance and
harmful tax competition in the EU. We have seen considerable success on each of
these fronts.
Late last year we achieved a
landmark agreement in the EU on sharing information on tax rulings. This was a
major step forward that will provide national authorities with much needed
insight on aggressive tax planning. The EU finalised and signed agreements in
2015 on the automatic exchange of financial information of EU residents in Switzerland,
Liechtenstein, Andorra and San Marino. Negotiations with Monaco have also been
finalised and signature of the related agreement is foreseen in the coming
months.
Since May 2015, the 4th
Anti-Money Laundering Directive requires Member States to put in place central
registers on beneficial ownership of all EU companies and other legal
arrangements like trusts – this is currently being implemented by Member
States. In October 2015, a political agreement on the automatic exchange of
information on tax rulings amongst Member States was reached.
In January 2016, the
Commission presented its Anti Tax Avoidance package. Key features of
the new package included legally-binding measures to block the most common
methods used by companies to avoid paying tax; a recommendation to Member
States on how to prevent tax treaty abuse; a proposal for the sharing of
tax-related information on multinationals operating in the EU; actions to
promote tax good governance internationally; and a new EU process for listing
third countries that refuse to play fair. We have already made a lot of headway
on these initiatives.
In March 2016, Member States
came to a speedy agreement after only forty days on the automatic exchange of
information on country-by-country reports of multinational companies.
The Commission also came
forward in April with a new legislative proposal on EU and non-EU multinational
groups a yearly public country-by-country reporting on the profit and tax paid
and other relevant information. Under this proposal, anyone interested would be
able to see how much tax the largest multinationals operating in Europe pay.
The scourge of tax avoidance
is an issue of global significance. We look forward to pursuing our
far-reaching strategy towards fair taxation and greater transparency together
with all our partners in the international arena.
REFUGEE CRISIS
At the G7 summit, leaders are
expected to call for a global response to a global crisis – the most serious
refugee crisis since World War II – including by providing assistance and by
helping to resettle refugees.
The role of the
EU: – The Syrian refugee crisis has become the world's worst humanitarian and
security disaster. The European Union was first to see this as an international
crisis that required concerted global action. As early as spring 2015, the EU
put in place a strategy to address all aspects of the crisis: saving lives at
sea and providing humanitarian assistance to all in need; strengthening
external EU borders and launching a European Border and Coast Guard; supporting
Member States under the most pressure with financial and technical assistance;
relocating and resettling people in need of international protection across the
EU; returning irregular migrants to their home countries; and creating safe and
legal routes for asylum-seekers from outside the EU. In 2015-16, the EU will
have devoted more than €10 billion to managing the refugee crisis. For 2016,
the EU and its Member States pledged more than €3 billion to assist the Syrian
people in Syria as well as refugees and the communities hosting them in
neighbouring countries.
As a part of its overall
strategy to manage the refugee crisis, the EU and Turkey in March 2016 formally
agreed to end the irregular migration from Turkey to the EU and replace it
instead with legal channels of resettlement of refugees to the European Union,
in full compliance with European and international law. This new approach has
started to deliver results, with a sharp decrease seen in the number of people
irregularly crossing the Aegean from Turkey into Greece.For 2016-17, the EU has
already mobilised a total of €3 billion under the Facility for Refugees in
Turkey, and another €3 billion may become available thereafter.
For the medium and long term,
the European Commission has taken up the challenges it is encountering during
the refugee crisis, and presented proposals earlier this month to reform the
Common European Asylum System by creating a fairer, more efficient and more
sustainable system for allocating asylum applications among Member States.
Overall, The European Commission's agenda on migration, one of the
priorities of this Commission, sets out a European response, combining internal
and external policies, making best use of EU agencies and tools, and involving
all actors: EU countries and institutions, international organisations, civil
society, local authorities and national partners outside the EU.
THE FIGHT AGAINST
TERRORISM
In line with last year’s
Schloss Elmau G7 agreement to strengthen and coordinate efforts to address the
global threat of terrorism, G7 leaders are expected to step up their efforts to
counter terrorist financing, the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, arms and
equipment, and to support other countries in their fight against terrorism. The
discussions should lead to the adoption of a G7 Action Plan on Countering
Terrorism and Violent Extremism.
The role of the EU – Building
on the 2015 European Agenda on Security, the European Commission in recent
monthslaunched the European Counter-Terrorism Centre, presented new laws to
better control firearms, and reached agreement on the Passenger-Name Record
system for airlines. The EU’s Radicalisation Awareness Network shares new ideas
between the teachers, youth workers and other public servants who are in daily
contact with vulnerable youngsters. In April, the Commission put forward new
proposals to achieve an effective and genuine EU Security Union. Aim is to
buildthe necessary tools, infrastructure and environment at European level for
national authorities to work effectively together to address transnational
threats such as terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime.
The measures
include: addressing the threats posed by returning foreign terrorist fighters;
preventing and fighting radicalisation; sanctioning terrorists and their
backers; improving information exchange; strengthening the European Counter
Terrorism Centre; cutting the access of terrorists to funds, firearms and
explosives; and protecting citizens and critical infrastructures. Moreover, in order
to ensure greater coherence between internal and external actions in the field
of security, and drawing on the work of the EU Counter Terrorism Coordinator,
the Commission and the EEAS, the EU will initiate anti-terrorism partnerships
with countries around the Mediterranean. More on the European Agenda on Security.
FOREIGN POLICY
During the G7 summit, members
will exchange views and seek common ground on the most pressing foreign policy
challenges, including Ukraine/Russia, the situation in Syria, Iran and Libya.
Also the security situation with regard to North Korea and the East and South
China Seas will be addressed.
The EU’s support
to Ukraine – The EU remains a key actor in the ongoing process to bring a
solution to the crisis in Ukraine that respects its territorial
integrity, sovereignty and independence, as well as international law.
The European Commission
continues its support for the government of Ukraine’s plans for reforms across
a broad range of sectors. Faced with economic recession and the ongoing
instability in the east of the country, Ukraine last year requested additional
financial assistance from the EU and its other partners. The programme
proposed, worth €1.8 billion, follows the €1.6 billion that we already
delivered in 2014/2015 and is part of an unprecedented package of support. The
EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, already approved by 27 EU Member States and
the European Parliament, including its Deep and Comprehensive Free-Trade Area,
remains provisionally applied, giving both the EU and Ukraine new opportunities
for business and trade.
In April, the European
Commission proposed to lift visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens for
short-stay travel to the Schengen area. This will facilitate mobility, but also
encourage trade and cooperation and build trust and understanding. The fight
against corruption has been an essential condition for visa liberalisation, and
it remains an urgent priority for the country as a whole. The independence,
integrity and operational capacity of new public institutions will be crucial.
Ukraine's political leaders have a responsibility to work together and seek
unity by putting their country's future first.
In relation to the situation
in eastern Ukraine, the EU remains committed to a complete implementation of
the Minsk Agreements, starting with a full and proper ceasefire. The EU stands
strong and united against aggression and destabilisation, but also believes in
the virtues of dialogue and diplomacy.
Russia - Economic
sanctions against Russia have been in place since July
2014 and were last renewed by the European Council in December 2015. The
duration of the sanctions is directly linked to a full implementation of the
Minsk Agreements. At the same time, the
EU keeps the lines of communication with Russia open, and also engages
selectively on foreign policy issues where there is a clear interest. The EU
supports Russian civil society and invests in people-to-people contacts. The EU
is also strengthening relations with its Eastern partners and other neighbours,
including in Central Asia.
Iran – The EU, through EU High Representative
Federica Mogherini, showed leadership in facilitating last year’s nuclear
agreement with Iran,
and is now working with its international partners to implement it. Following
reassurance that Iran's intentions are peaceful, economic and financial
sanctions related to nuclear programme were lifted. The most recent step in
EU-Iran relations was the landmark visit to Tehran on 16 April by High
Representative/Vice-President Mogherini and seven other Commissioners. The EU
has put in place a regular political dialogue, while cooperation will focus
amongst others on human rights, the economy, trade and investment, climate and
energy, aviation, nuclear safety, migration, science, research, education and
culture.
Iraq - In response to the conflicts in Iraq and
Syria, and to counter the global Da'esh threat, the EU adopted the EU Regional
Strategy for Syria and Iraq as well as the Da'esh threat, on 16 March 2015. For Iraq the strategy
foresees a mix of humanitarian and resilience aid, support for the
stabilisation of areas liberated form Da'esh, support for rule of law, good
governance and improved economic performance, as well as non-military support
to the various lines of effort of the Global Coalition to counter Da'esh. It
comes with an aid package of €1 billion for Syria and Iraq, which has in the
meantime grown to €1.7 billion, for the years 2015 and 2016, out of which more
than €200 million are dedicated to Iraq. The implementation of the strategy is
in full swing in coordination with the EU Member States and other partners. The
EU and Iraq, moreover, signed a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in 2012
which is already being implemented provisionally, focusing on human rights,
trade, economic and energy issues, pending the treaty's full ratification.
Libya – The European Union is working closely with the
United Nations in support of the Government of National Accord, which it
considers the sole legitimate government of Libya. On 18 April, the
Foreign Affairs Council welcomed the arrival of the Presidency Council to
Tripoli on 30 March, which paves the way for the effective government of the
country by the Government of National Accord. The EU has called for Libyan
ownership of a political process that must be as inclusive as possible. It has
committed to support the Government of National Accord with a €100 million
package of immediate assistance in different areas.
Syria – The European Union is actively supporting the
efforts to restore peace in the war-ravaged Syria. We are fully behind the
Geneva talks led by the UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura. The EU is also
part of the International Syria Support Group. It calls for an end to the
indiscriminate use of weapons and cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access
to besieged and hard-to-reach areas, and the launch of a Syrian-led political
transition.
The EU and its Member States are the leading donors in
humanitarian and economic assistance. Last February, at the "Supporting
Syria and the Region" conference held in London, the EU and its Member
States pledged more than €3 billion to assist Syrian people inside Syria as
refugees and the communities hosting them in the neighbouring countries for the
year 2016. This comes on top of the €6 billion that the EU and its Member
States had already committed.
CLIMATE ACTION AND ENERGY
The G7 will discuss how to lead the efforts of the
international community, building on the outcome of the climate change
Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris, in December last year. Leaders will
also address energy policy issues, against the background of decreasing energy
security.
The role of the EU: The European Union was the first major
economy to table its commitment in the run up to the Paris climate conference
COP21 and now looks forward to having the Agreement ratified and entering into
force swiftly.
The EU has the world’s most ambitious commitments on
climate change: a reduction target of at least 40% in greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions by 2030 compared to 1990; to at least 27% of total energy consumption
from renewable energy; and to at least 27% increase in energy efficiency. The
Paris Agreement vindicates the EU's approach. Implementing the 2030 energy and
climate framework as agreed by the European Council is a priority in follow up
to the Paris Agreement. Europe has shown that it is possible to act: from 1990
to 2013, EU emissions declined 19% while GDP grew 45%. The EU is currently the
most GHG-efficient major economy in the world, and encourages other nations to
follow, to match this ambition.
Climate action has been part of the political and
legislative agenda for many years and is an integral part of the European Energy
Union strategy– one of the priority policy areas of the Juncker
Commission. Other dimensions of the EU’s Energy Union strategy are: supplying
security by diversifying Europe’s energy sources; fully integrating the
internal energy market by enabling energy to flow freely across the EU using
interconnectors; increasing energy efficiency in order to consume less energy
and reduce pollution; supporting research and innovation in low-carbon
technologies.
Turning Europe into a highly energy-efficient and
low-carbon economy will also boost the economy, create jobs and strengthen
Europe's competitiveness: according to Eurostat 2012 data, the EU already has
4.3 million people working in green industries. This is a real success story
for European industry even in times of an economic slowdown. It is estimated
that the 2030 climate and energy framework would create up to 700,000
additional jobs in Europe. With more ambitious renewable energy and energy
efficiency, net employment could increase by up to 1.2 million jobs.
More info on EU Energy Union and Climate policy: http://ec.europa.eu/priorities/energy-union-and-climate_en.
DEVELOPMENT
G7 leaders will discuss the next steps towards the
implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as set out in
the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in
September 2015.
The role of the EU: The EU has played an important role in
shaping the 2030 Agendafor Sustainable Development, through public
consultations, dialogue with its partners and in-depth research. The EU will
continue to play a leading role as it moves into the implementation of this
ambitious, transformative and universal Agenda that delivers poverty
eradication and sustainable development for all.
The European Union, together with its Member States,
is the world's largest aid donor, providing more than half of the total
Official Development Assistance (ODA) reported last year by members of the
Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation
and Development (OECD-DAC). EU collective Official Development Assistance has
increased to €68 billion in 2015 (up 15% from €59 billion in 2014) – growing
for the third year in a row. This is the highest share of Gross National Income
ever. EU collective ODA represented 0.47% of EU Gross National Income (GNI) in 2015,
an increase from 0.43% in 2014. This is significantly above the non-EU
Development Assistance Committee (DAC) country average of 0.21% ODA/GNI. Five
EU Member States exceeded the 0.7% ODA/GNI mark: Sweden (1.4%), Luxembourg
(0.93%), Denmark (0.85%), and the Netherlands (0.76%) and the United Kingdom
(0.71%).
2015 also saw the highest support for development aid
amongst EU citizens in 6 years. Almost nine out of ten EU citizens support
development (89% - a 4 percentage point increase since 2014), while more than
half say that promised levels of aid should be delivered by the EU.
EU development policy seeks to eradicate poverty in a
context of sustainable development. It is a cornerstone of EU relations with
the outside world – alongside foreign, security and trade policy (and
international aspects of other policies like environment, agriculture and
fisheries).
Over the last decade, thanks
to EU funding, almost 14 million pupils could go to primary school, more than
70 million people were linked to improved drinking water, and over 7.5 million
births were attended by skilled health workers, saving the lives of mothers and
babies. EU development aid goes to around 150 countries in the world. Since
2014, the EU is phasing out direct aid to large countries that have experienced
strong economic growth and managed to reduce poverty, and is focussing on the
poorest regions in the world instead. In the period 2014-2020, about 75% of EU support will
go to these regions which, in addition, often are hard hit by natural disasters
or conflict. EU aid will also focus more on certain sectors such as good
governance, human rights, democracy, health, education, but also agriculture
and energy.
The EU applies a system of “Policy coherence for development” in
policy areas such as trade and finance, agriculture, security, climate change
or migration, in order to foster growth and overcome poverty in development
countries, by – for example – opening its large single market to these
countries, or setting up standards to fight illegal exploitation of natural
resources. The EU is strongly committed to making aid more effective. The
European Commission is part of the Steering Committee of the Global Partnership
for Effective Development Cooperation. Based on European values, the EU promotes,
in its relations with partners countries, democratic values and practises such
as human rights, fundamental freedoms, good governance and the rule of law.
Gender equality is an important element of the EU approach. More info on EU
development aid: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/home_en.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES ON THE AGENDA
At the Ise-Shima G7 summit, leaders will discuss a
series of global health policy issues, including approaches to control infectious
diseases, strengthening the response to public health emergencies such as the
Ebola or Zika outbreaks, and ensuring the provision of lifelong healthcare
services. Building on the progress made at the Schloss Elmau G7 Summit in 2015,
several issues with a specific relevance to gender equality and women’s rights
will also be on the agenda.
G7 OUTREACH MEETINGS
Traditionally, a number of third country heads of
state and government, as well as chairpersons of international organisations,
are invited to participate in parts of the summit. From ASEAN member states,
the heads of state and government of Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka, and Papua New Guinea are invited. In addition, the head of state and
government of Chad – the current Chairperson of the African Union – and, from
the international organisations, the chairpersons of the UN, OECD, ADB, IMF and
the World Bank are invited.
As the Ise-Shima summit is the first summit held in
Asia in eight years, the Japanese hosts have indicated that the topic of one of
the outreach meetings will focus on Asia. In another outreach session,
participants will address the Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on
Africa.
THE EU AS G7 MEMBER
The European Union is a full member in the G7 and
takes part in its work at all levels. Since the entry into force of the Lisbon
Treaty the EU is represented by both the President of the European Commission
and the President of the European Council. The G7 is a forum for discussion
where leaders take commitments to achieve common objectives, putting their
credibility at stake. In doing so, the G7 provides critical leadership to
address global challenges.
In 1977, representatives of the then European
Community began participating in the London Summit. The first G7 summit was
held two years earlier, in 1975 in Rambouillet (France). Originally, the EU's
role was limited to those areas in which it had exclusive competences, but this
has changed with time. The European Commission was gradually included in all
political discussions on the summit agenda and took part in all summit working
sessions, as of the Ottawa Summit (1981).
Japan will hand over the Presidency to Italy for 2017.
The Presidency will continue in its rotation to Canada in 2018, France in 2019,
the USA in 2020 and the United Kingdom in 2021.
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