In 2026, France will hold the Presidency of the G7, culminating in a leader’s summit to be hosted in Évian in June. Fifty years after the first G7 meeting in Rambouillet, 23 years after the 2003 G8 summit in the same town, and 7 years after the G7 meeting in Biarritz, the Évian summit will bring together the leaders of the G7 countries to focus on major current challenges, in particular global – and more specifically macroeconomic – imbalances.
“In a difficult coordination context, the goal of the G7 is to seek out points of convergence despite disagreements.”
G7: a forum for consultation between major economic powers
The G7 brings together the seven leading advanced economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, alongside the European Union.
It was created in 1975 and has become an informal discussion and consultation group that provides joint responses to major global and economic challenges, with the aim of promoting global economic stability and international dialogue.
The G7 Presidency rotates on an annual basis: the host country sets the priorities for the current year and chairs ministerial and technical meetings.
Under the French Presidency, the G7 Finance meetings organised throughout 2026 will provide an optimal discussion forum ahead of the Summit of Heads of State and Government, to be held from 15 to 17 June in Évian.
G7 Finance: role, mission and organisation
G7 Finance is a core part of the G7 that brings together the finance ministers and central bank governors of member countries.
Together, they analyse global economic trends, coordinate responses to crises and work to ensure the stability of the international financial system. Their work focuses in particular on macroeconomic policies, financial regulation, international taxation and financing the ecological transition.
The role of the Banque de France
The Banque de France plays an active role in the major multilateral forums dedicated to monetary and financial issues, including the G7, the G20, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In these international cooperation forums, it contributes to discussions and decisions aimed at bolstering global financial stability, representing both French and Eurosystem positions.
This year, the Governor of the Banque de France is co-chairing the G7 Finance Track, alongside the Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty. The track’s work and meetings play a key role in global economic coordination. As in other years, this is an opportunity to put the Banque de France's independence and expertise to use for the common good around issues that are essential for international financial stability.
The Banque de France is working closely with the French Treasury to prepare Finance Track meetings”. For the French Presidency, the Banque de France has chosen to focus on the following priorities: anticipating how new technologies will affect financial stability (cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies), regulating non-bank financial intermediaries, exploring the economic and financial impact of extreme weather events and how to insure against them, and enhancing cross-border payments.
The Banque de France’s priorities for the G7 Finance Track
Reducing large and persistent macroeconomic imbalances
Macroeconomic imbalances have intensified in recent years and are increasingly drawing the attention of global policymakers. They are among the priorities of the French G7 presidency and the US G20 presidency, which aim to improve the shared understanding of their causes and consequences. These imbalances stem from a mix of structural and cyclical factors, and reflect divergences between savings and investment patterns across countries and regions. They can fuel trade tensions but, more importantly, pose a threat to global economic and financial stability, as they can trigger large and sudden corrections in capital flows and exchange rates – as witnessed during the 2008 financial crisis.
The French G7 presidency wants to hold in-depth talks to deepen our collective understanding of the drivers of these imbalances and explore ways to reduce them in an orderly manner while safeguarding growth.
Find out more:
- G7 Economists Memo on Global Imbalances
- « Global imbalances: old wine in a new bottle » : column by Agnès Bénassy-Quéré, Second Deputy Governor of the Banque de France
Capturing risks linked to extreme weather events
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, and their economic and financial effects underline the need for continued multilateral action.
Building on the work of previous G7 presidencies and of the G20, the French G7 presidency will focus on the economic and financial impacts of these events and on identifying ways to strengthen insurance cover for natural disasters.
Managing the risks and opportunities of non-bank financial intermediation (NBFI)
Non-bank financial intermediation (NBFI) covers activities such as fund raising, asset management and lending that take place outside the traditional banking system. The sector includes a broad range of actors – insurers, pension funds and all types of investment funds, including hedge funds – and has expanded rapidly in recent years.
A significant share of the global NBFI industry is located in G7 countries. This gives G7 members a key responsibility in monitoring the systemic risks posed by the sector – notably through its links with the banking system – and they are working to develop a macroprudential approach. The French presidency’s work on NBFI will continue the priorities set by previous G7 presidencies.
Find out more: Non-bank financial intermediation
Supporting the emergence of new technologies
Cross-border payments
Another of the G7’s priorities is to improve global cross-border payments. With the risk of fragmentation in payment systems and rapidly accelerating innovation, there is a need for closer cooperation within the G7. The French presidency will continue to implement the G7 and G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments, with the aim of making international payments faster, cheaper, safer and more transparent. As part of this, it will focus on the interconnection of instant payment systems and, more broadly, on enhancing cross-border settlement both for retail and large-value payments.
Find out more:
Artificial intelligence
Since the release of the first publicly accessible generative AI models at the end of 2022, AI has spread to all sectors of the economy and has become a G7 priority. In the financial sector, it is becoming increasingly embedded in intermediation, asset management, payment systems and regulatory surveillance, thanks to its ability to process data autonomously and adapt decision-making through learning. AI can also strengthen risk management, deliver more personalised services and enhance fraud detection. However, it also brings with it new vulnerabilities, including growing dependence on critical and highly concentrated technological infrastructure, challenges relating to accountability and governance, and a greater risk of the propagation of errors. The expansion of AI therefore reinforces the need for international cooperation to design appropriate regulatory responses that ensure responsible use and safeguard financial stability.
Find out more:
- Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Financial Stability, Lisbon - Opening remarks by Denis Beau
- Implementing effective surveillance of AI in the financial sector
- REPORT ON THE LEGAL AND REGULATORY IMPACTS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN BANKING, FINANCE AND INSURANCE by the Haut Comité Juridique de la Place Financière de Paris
- Declaration on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity (French only)
Quantum technology
The Banque de France is already closely involved in these efforts and has been cooperating internationally and experimenting with post-quantum cryptography since 2022. It has become a recognised pioneer in the field and is well-positioned to play a driving role, alongside other G7 central banks.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity has been a G7 priority since 2015. The French presidency will concentrate on fostering a shared understanding of cyber threats, and on providing a coordinated response framework for incidents affecting the financial sector. It intends to continue the work already underway, notably by studying the impact of AI on cybersecurity and conducting a cyber crisis management exercise.
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International ecosystem
French G7 Presidency – The International Monetary System and International Payments. Recent Trends and Challenges Ahead
Updated on the 2nd of April 2026