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The Group of Eight (G8)
In 1975 the heads of state and government of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan and the USA met for the first time to discuss the development of the global economy. Since they were joined by Canada in 1976 and Russia in 1998, the group has brought together the eight leading industrial nations plus a representative from the European Commission.
Together the G8 states generate more than 50 per cent of the world's gross national income, are responsible for almost half of world trade, are the major contributors to international organisations, and provide two-thirds of development cooperation funding worldwide.
The fundamental values of the G8 are liberty and democracy, human rights and the rule of law, the market economy and free trade. At the annual G8 summit meetings, the member states discuss global issues in the fields of economic, foreign and security policy on this basis. Since the 1990s they have increasingly also looked at development-policy issues.
The G8 is an informal forum for the heads of state and government. It is not an international organisation with its own structure and has neither its own administrative structures nor any form of permanent representation of member states.
The organisation and thematic orientation of each summit is traditionally the responsibility of the host nation.
Within the G8 decisions are made on a consensual basis. Although the jointly elaborated decisions and voluntary commitments are not binding in law, their global impact should not be underestimated. They are put into practice through bilateral measures of the G8 states and through the major influence of these states within many multilateral organisations.
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