The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal intergovernmental political and economic forum, not a treaty-based international organization, consisting of seven major advanced economies. Its members are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with the European Union (EU) also participating as a "non-enumerated member". The G7 was established as a platform for economic and financial cooperation in response to the 1973 energy crisis and the Nixon shock (1971). The first Summit of Heads of State and Government was held in November 1975 in Rambouillet, France, initially as the Group of Six (G6). Canada joined in 1976, forming the G7.
The G7 operates without a permanent secretariat or formal constitution, instead relying on a presidency that rotates annually among the member states. The presiding nation sets the agenda and hosts the annual G7 Summit, where heads of state and government meet to discuss global issues like trade, security, and climate change. The summit concludes with a communiqué outlining political commitments, with the groundwork prepared by the leaders' personal representatives, known as Sherpas.
The group was known as the Group of Eight (G8) from 1997 to 2014 after Russia was included. However, Russia's participation was suspended in March 2014 following its annexation of Crimea, reverting the group to the G7. The G7 is closely connected to the G20, which it helped launch in 1999 to include major emerging market countries. India is not a member but is frequently invited as a guest to the G7 Summit, such as in 2021 and 2023.