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Mandate
The global economy has seen decisive changes in the past 15 years, including the growing importance of emerging economies. At the Heiligendamm Summit in 2007, leaders of the G8 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK, the US, and the European Commission) and the G5 countries (Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa) discussed the major challenges that have arisen in the world economy. They recognised the interdependence of their economies and the importance of an active exchange on the framework conditions of a globalized and competitive world economy. They decided to embark on a high-level dialogue on specific challenges which was subsequently named the Heiligendamm Dialogue Process (HDP).
The leaders’ decision and the political basis for the Dialogue can be found in the G8 Summit declaration "Growth and Responsibility in the World Economy" and in the Joint Statement by the German G8 Presidency and the Heads of State and/or Government of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.
The HDP is a political dialogue and should not be confused with a negotiating process. The world economy is undergoing major changes and the launch of this process reflects the recognition that neither the G8 countries nor major emerging economies will be able to cope with these challenges individually. Against the background of their respective responsibilities, the political aim of the Dialogue is to build trust among the dialogue partners and develop common understanding on outstanding global issues.
In 2007 partner countries agreed to organise this dialogue in a structured manner over a two year period. An Interim Report was presented at the G8 Summit in Japan on the progress made, and a Concluding Report on the outcomes of the Dialogue Process was presented at the G8 Summit in Italy in 2009.
The four main areas covered in this first phase were:
- Promoting cross-border investment to our mutual benefit including the encouragement of responsible business conduct;
- Promoting research and innovation including, among others,intellectual property rights;
- Energy with special focus on energy efficiency;
- Development, particularly in Africa.
At the G8 Summit in Italy, on the basis of the concluding report it was decided to continue this work under the name of the Heiligendamm L’Aquila Process (HAP) for a further two-year period up to the French Summit in 2011.
There was a broad consensus that the HAP should in particular:
- broaden the range of topics and allow greater flexibility to take up pressing global challenges;
- strengthen the strategic orientation to produce concrete results; and
- explore further possibilities for producing spillovers from the HAP to other forums of international cooperation.
The OECD was asked in 2007 to provide a platform for this dialogue process, with the IEA being the relevant organisation in the field of energy efficiency. The Support Unit was created in July 2007. In July 2009, the OECD Council agreed to extend the mandate the HAP Support Unit until the French Summit in 2011.
Reporting to Summits
As agreed in 2007, an Interim Report on the progress of the Heiligendamm Dialogue Process was presented to the Heads of State and Government at the Hokkaido Toyako Summit in July 2008. The Concluding Report was then presented to leaders at the Italian Summit in L’Aquila on the 9th July 2009, as part of the Promoting a Global Agenda Joint Declaration, the first ever by G8 and G5 partners.
The Heiligendamm L'Aquila Process will present leaders with a substantive report at the Canadian Summit in Muskoka in 2010 and a concluding report at the French Summit in 2011.
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