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Heiligendamm Process

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The so-called Heiligendamm Process is a dialogue between the member states of the the G8 group of countries and the important emerging economies that deals with the biggest challenges the global economy is facing today. The important emerging economies are: Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.

This dialogue is necessary, because neither the G8 countries nor the important emerging economies can meet the challenges of the global economy alone. Joint solutions are to be developed that take each country's responsibilities into account.

That is why in Heiligendamm the G8 agreed to launch a new form of co-operation. The aim is to achieve tangible results within two years.

The G8 want to initiate a dialogue on relevant issues with the important emerging economies. Four areas are to be covered:

Promoting and protecting innovation;
Strengthening the freedom of investment by means of an open investment climate, including strengthening the principles of corporate social responsibility;
Determining joint responsibilities for development, focussing specifically on Africa;
Joint access to know-how to improve energy efficiency and technology co-operation, with the aim of contributing to reducing CO2 emissions.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris is to provide a platform for this new dialogue, which will be launched in the second half of 2007. A progress report will be presented at the 2008 G8 Summit in Japan; a final report on the results of the dialogue will be put forward at the G8 Summit in Italy in 2009.