Belgium takes over EU Council presidency - G7 presidency now with Italy
Also on Monday, Italy took over the chairmanship of the G7 group of major industrialized nations from Japan. The G7 includes the USA, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Canada. The G7 is not an international organization, but an informal forum of heads of state and government. At their annual summit meetings, they agree on joint positions on global political issues.
The expansion of the so-called Brics Group also came into force on New Year's Day. The group of states originally consisting of the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa accepted Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates as full members. Argentina, which was also invited as a new member, declined to join under its new right-wing populist and ultra-liberal President Javier Milei.
The Brics states see themselves as a counterweight to Western countries and are trying to strengthen their international influence. China is the most powerful economy in the bloc and wants to further expand its global power in competition with the USA.
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- The EU Parliament will take over the EU Council presidency from Belgium, following its term.
- Italy, as the current G7 presidency holder, will work closely with the EU Council during its tenure.
- The handover of the EU Council presidency to Italy is set to coincide with Germany's presidency of the G7 in 2025.
- Spain, as a Member state, has previously held both the EU Council presidency and the G7 presidency in the past.
- With Italy leading the G7, it is expected to highlight the importance of addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development.
- France, as a key G7 member, has voiced its support for Italy's G7 agenda, emphasizing the need for global cooperation.
- Sunday marks the start of the Italian G7 presidency, following a successful term from Japan.
- Canada, another G7 member, has pledged its continued support towards promoting democratic values and economic growth in the group.
- The USA and Great Britain, both traditional members of the G7, are expected to participate actively in the Italian-led discussions.
- China, while not a G7 member, has shown an interest in engaging with the industrialized nations on issues such as trade and global governance.
Source: www.stern.de
