G7 leaders push free trade agenda
G7 summit
(ISE-SHIMA) - Leaders of the G7 countries meeting at a summit in Japan reaffirmed their commitment to open and fair global trade and called for swift progress on regional trade agreements, including the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and TTIP.
The summit concluded with the adoption of a Leaders' Declaration and outreach working sessions with Asian partners and international organisations.
The G7 Leaders' Declaration stresses the special responsibility of the G7 to lead international efforts to tackle global challenges.
Under the G7 Ise-Shima Economic Initiative leaders agreed a number of measures to boost strong and sustainable global growth, including by boosting investment and implementing commitments on fair and transparent taxation.
They also agreed to enhance G7 assistance to tackle the global refugee crisis.
Leaders recognised that global excess capacity in industrial sectors, especially steel, is a pressing structural challenge with global implications that needs to be urgently addressed through elimination of market distorting measures.
They reaffirmed their desire to lead by example and implement swiftly the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The G7 also took a clear position on a number of foreign policy issues and adopted an Action Plan on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism.