G7 ministerial meetings

G7 and (from 1997 to 2014) G8 ministerial meetings are meetings of the government ministers of the G7 and G8 countries. G7 summit meetings originated in an ad hoc gathering of finance ministers in 1973.

Meetings of finance ministers, labour and employment ministers, environment ministers, foreign ministers and trade ministers and other ad hoc ministerial meetings [1] have taken place within the country designated for the annual G7 or G8 summit. As of 2021, seven G7 "Ministerial Tracks" cover economic, environmental, health, trade, technology, development and foreign policy issues.[2]

Digital technology ministers

The digital technology ministers of the G7 countries met in Paris on 15 May 2019, during the French G7 presidency. Ministers from India, Australia, New Zealand and Chile and representatives of the OECD, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO also attended. A draft of the Charter for an Open, Free and Safe Internet was discussed at the meeting.[3] This was subsequently signed by six of the G7 members, but not by the United States.[4]

Energy ministers

The G7 Kitakyushu Energy Ministerial Meeting took place in Kitakyushu, Japan on 1–2 May 2016. Climate, energy and environment ministers met on 15th-16th April 2023 in Sapporo, also in Japan.[5]

Health ministers

G7 health ministers met in June [6] and November 2021, the latter being an urgent meeting called by the U.K. presidency to discuss developments relating to the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.[7] A G7 health ministers' meeting was held in Nagasaki, Japan in May 2023.[8]

Labour and employment ministers

From 11-13 May 2008, in advance of the G8 summit in Tōyako, Hokkaido in July 2008, the Labour and Employment Ministers of the G8 countries and the EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities held a ministerial meeting in Niigata, Japan. With the additional participation of the Director-General of the ILO (Juan Somavía) and the Secretary-General of the OECD (Ángel Gurría), and Labour Ministers from Indonesia and Thailand invited as guests, the aim of the meeting was to discuss "the best balance for a resilient and sustainable society".

Three themes were addressed:

  • Enabling Well-Balanced Lives in Harmony with Increased Longevity (individual level)
  • The Contribution of Labour Market and Employment Policies to Addressing the Needs of Vulnerable Workers and Areas (society level)
  • The Contribution of the G8 Members to the Challenges to Global Sustainability (global society level).[9]

As a result of these discussions a principle referred to as the "Niigata Global-Balance Principle" was adopted, which set out a recognition that:

Governments, employers and workers should work together to achieve a coherent balance of growth, employment, productivity and concern for the environment. Social dialogue and cooperation beginning at the workplace makes an important contribution to this goal.[9]

Trade ministers

The G7 trade ministers held their first meeting on 31 March 2021.[10]

References
  1. University of Toronto, G7 Research Group, G7/8 Ministerial Meetings and Documents, accessed 22 August 2021
  2. UK Government, Ministerial Meetings & Engagement Groups, accessed 22 August 2021
  3. Official website of the President of France, Outcomes of the G7 Digital Technology Ministers Meeting, published May 2019, accessed 18 November 2021
  4. Access Now, G7 internet charter has its foundations right, but key elements still threaten human rights, published 19 September 2019, accessed 18 November 2021
  5. G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers' Communiqué, published 16 April 2023, accessed 21 May 2023
  6. G7, G7 Health Ministers’ Communique, accessed 2 December 2021
  7. Politico, UK calls urgent G7 health ministers’ meeting to discuss Omicron variant, published 28 November 2021, accessed 2 December 2021
  8. Department of Health and Social Care, Health secretary attends Japan summit with health tech at top of the agenda, published 15 May 2023, accessed 18 May 2023
  9. G8 Labour and Employment Ministers Meeting, Chair's Conclusions, updated 26 May 2008, accessed 20 August 2021
  10. UK Government, G7 Trade Ministers’ Meeting – Chair’s Statement, published 31 March 2021, accessed 22 August 2021
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