EU Coordination Practices for the Gx System

Abstract

This chapter examines the level of internal EU coordination for the G20, G8, and G7. In a detailed manner, it maps out the different processes for each Gx forum by focusing on the what, how, where, and who. It provides a comprehensive overview of the (informal) procedures, the actors and committees involved, and the evolution over time (at least from 2008 to 2012). The assessment of the level of internal EU coordination for the G20, G8, and G7 chiefly relies on interviews with key players in the EU’s coordination processes and official documents. This qualitative assessment is complemented by results from the survey. By triangulating these multiple data sources, each aspect of the EU’s preparation for the G7, G8, and G20 is scored on the coordination scale. To recall, the scale entails four levels of interaction ranging from (1) no interaction to (2) information sharing, (3) consultation, and (4) group decision making (see Chapter 3). This chapter proceeds by first looking at how coordination has developed for the G20. Next, the level of internal coordination for the G8 and G7 are assessed. Finally, the role of the European Parliament is briefly discussed before some tentative conclusions are drawn.