G7 Research Group G7 Information Centre
Summits |  Meetings |  Publications |  Research |  Search |  Home |  About the G7 Research Group
University of Toronto

Back to Analytical Studies

The Prospective Agenda for the
2007 G7 Finance Ministers Meetings

Laura Sunderland
Senior Researcher, G8 Research Group
January 9, 2007

See also G8 Leaders Prospective Agenda


This prospective agenda for the 2007 G7/8 Finance Ministers Meetings is compiled by the G8 Research Group from public sources as an aid to researchers and other stakeholders interested in the G8. It will be updated periodically as planning evolves and as more information becomes available about its intended and actual agenda.


G7 Finance Ministers Meeting, February 9-10, 2007, Essen

On February 9-10, 2007, the G7 Finance Ministers will meet in Essen, Germany.

During its presidency of the G7 Finance Ministers forum, Germany will focus on fiscal policy, including "consolidating macroeconomic stabil-ity, the role of hedge funds in the stability of international financial markets, and the quality and sustainability of public finances."[1] The finance ministers will also discuss "the de-velopment of capital markets in emerging market economies, the promotion of growth and the fight against poverty by effecting improvements in the public finance sector of developing countries, and fiscal policy for the promotion of energy efficiency and of an energy strategy increasingly reliant on renewable energies."[2] The ministers will also address "how the international finan-cial institutions IMF and World Bank should adapt to meet changing global conditions."[3]

On December 28, 2006, Agence France Presse reported that greater transparency of global financial and capital markets, including regulating hedge funds, will "top the agenda" of the G7 finance and central bank chiefs in Essen.[4] According to the article, "Berlin appears ready to scale back its ambitions of drawing up concrete measures, while Washington seems to be coming round to the idea that action could be necessary, especially in the wake of the collapse of US hedge fund Amaranth Advisors."[5] German Sherpa, Bernd Pfaffenbach stated that "One mustn't be too ambitious... You can't simply take an axe to it and want to install rigid rules. That won't happen. But transparency has never hurt anyone. A joint final communiqué calling for more transparency would be feasible and desirable."[6]

On November 17, 2006, it was reported budgetary discipline will be central to the finance agenda.[7] An official reported that Merkel and the International Monetary Fund will propose a set of fiscal policy guidelines requesting governments to balance their budgets over one economic cycle, and prepare for the costs of aging populations.[8] The German finance ministry aims to put the proposed guidelines on the G8 Leaders' agenda in June.[9] According to the official, initial reactions by G7 partners to the draft guidelines have been positive.[10] The official stated that "This is about raising the quality of public finances… When should you consolidate if not now? The question is how do you achieve a sustainable fiscal policy at the global level. The IMF will advise and support us there."

[top of page]


G8 Finance Ministers Meeting, May 18-19, 2007

The G8 Finance Ministers will meet on May 18-19, 2007.

[top of page]


Notes

1 G8 Summit 2007 Heiligendamm (November 27, 2006), "Meeting of the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in Essen on 9/10 February 2007," Accessed December 7, 2006, http://www.g-8.de/nn_94646/Content/EN/Artikel/2006/11/g8-2006-11-27-akkreditierung-g7-essen.html

2 G8 Summit 2007 Heiligendamm (November 27, 2006), "Meeting of the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in Essen on 9/10 February 2007," Accessed December 7, 2006, http://www.g-8.de/nn_94646/Content/EN/Artikel/2006/11/g8-2006-11-27-akkreditierung-g7-essen.html

3 G8 Summit 2007 Heiligendamm (November 27, 2006), "Meeting of the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in Essen on 9/10 February 2007," Accessed December 7, 2006, http://www.g-8.de/nn_94646/Content/EN/Artikel/2006/11/g8-2006-11-27-akkreditierung-g7-essen.html

4 Agence France Presse (December 27, 2006), "Germany wants G8 to 'go back to roots', tackle world's economic problems."

5 Agence France Presse (December 27, 2006), "Germany wants G8 to 'go back to roots', tackle world's economic problems."

6 Agence France Presse (December 27, 2006), "Germany wants G8 to 'go back to roots', tackle world's economic problems."

7 Agence France Presse (November 16, 2006), "Germany to push budget discipline at G8."

8 Agence France Presse (November 16, 2006), "Germany to push budget discipline at G8."

9 Agence France Presse (November 16, 2006), "Germany to push budget discipline at G8."

10 Agence France Presse (November 16, 2006), "Germany to push budget discipline at G8."

[top of page]


Earlier Versions


[top of page]

Back to: Analytical Studies


G7 Information Centre

Top of Page
This Information System is provided by the University of Toronto Libraries and the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto.
Please send comments to: g7@utoronto.ca
This page was last updated January 29, 2007.

All contents copyright © 2024. University of Toronto unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved.