A stronger Europe through partnerships
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The EU in the G20
The Group of 20 (G20) is the international forum that brings together the 21 largest and fastest-growing economies in the world. It is a pillar of multilateral cooperation and a key forum for the European Union (EU) to address global challenges. In 2023, under the Indian Presidency of the G20, the African Union (AU) was welcomed as a permanent member of the G20. The EU has been a strong advocate for the inclusion of the AU as a full member of the G20.
Together, the members of the G20 account for more than 85% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP), 75% of global trade and 83% of the planet’s population.
The EU is a full permanent member of the G20, along with three of its Member States: France, Germany and Italy. In 2025, Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland are invited guest countries.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and António Costa, President of the European Council represent the EU at the annual G20 summit.
As one of the largest economies in the world and the world’s largest single market area, the EU represents roughly 14,7% of world gross domestic product (2024). It accounts for around 6% of the world’s population.
South Africa Summit 2025
South Africa is holding the G20 Presidency in 2025 under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”. It is the first time the African continent hosts the G20. The Leaders’ Summit is scheduled to take place on 22 and 23 November 2025 in Johannesburg.
Rio De Janeiro Summit 2024
Last year’s G20 Summit was hosted by Brazil in Rio de Janeiro in November. Under the theme “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet” the participants discussed, amongst other topics:
- Geopolitics, including Russia’s war against Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East
- Fight against hunger and poverty and the launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty
- Social inclusion
- Just Energy transition
- Global Governance Reform, including the international financial system and taxation
- Acceleration of climate action
- Inclusive multilateral trading system
- Promoting the ethical development of artificial intelligence
- Mobilising resources for basic sanitation and access to drinking water
- Addressing racism and promoting racial equality as part of the effort to combat inequalities.
Follow the link to learn more about the G20 organisation.
Global infrastructure investment
At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, President von der Leyen emphasised the EU’s key contribution to two flagship projects of the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) initiative.
The India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor will link the three regions through state-of-the art connectivity infrastructure. It will bring the economic relationship between these regions to a new level, providing citizens and businesses with improved access to goods, energy and data.
The goals of this initiative are to:
- Integrate railway lines and port connections from India to Europe, allowing smoother and faster transit time for goods.
- Develop energy infrastructure for the production and transport of green hydrogen.
- Strengthen telecommunications and data transfers thanks to a new undersea cable connection.
The EU is also joining forces with the US to promote the Trans-African Corridor project. This will connect the port of Lobito in Angola with the Katanga region in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the copper belt in Zambia. The aim is to foster investment in local value chains to process raw materials, create access to world markets for products from these regions and improve mobility opportunities for citizens.
Through the Global Gateway Initiative, EU is a key actor in the PGII. The Global Gateway will invest €300 billion in critical connectivity projects between 2021-2027. Half of the money is destined for initiatives in Africa.
- Follow the link to learn more about the EU’s Global Gateway
- Follow the link to learn more about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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EU Partners
The EU works very closely with and in other international organisations and entities, such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Trade Organisation, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
To promote international peace, human rights and development, the EU works closely with Geneva based organisations to better tackle migration (IOM), to promote decent work for all (ILO) and public health worldwide (WHO), and to support a multilateral approach to security, disarmament and non-proliferation.
Finally, the EU seeks closer cooperation with other regional and multinational organisations such as the African Union, the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States, the Association of South-East Asian Nations or the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States to address common challenges and to work together at the international level. For example, the EU works very closely with the AU and the UN – trilateral cooperation –in areas of mutual interest with a view to promoting peace, stability and development in Africa.
The EU aims to build a more inclusive multilateralism. This is why it also engages with civil society as well as with the private sector, social and other stakeholders.
Cooperation with the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an important multilateral actor and a key strategic partner to the EU. Its standard-setting role contributes substantively to upholding the rules-based international order. The EU and the Council of Europe are built on the same vision, ambitions and values which have taken root firmly in Europe: human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The EU and the Council of Europe also share a common vocation to promote these values and spread them further. The Council Conclusions on "EU priorities for cooperation with the Council of Europe in 2023-2024" demonstrate this commitment to work together on upholding fundamental democratic values and norms.
Freedom of the media, social rights, Artificial Intelligence and environmental protection are also areas of common strategic interest. The pandemic has shown that values-based organisations like the EU and Council of Europe must act as a political and moral compass for policy-makers and citizens alike. The key importance of our partnership is further demonstrated by the negotiations for EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Since January 2011, the EU Delegation in Strasbourg has served as the permanent diplomatic representation of the European Union to the Council of Europe.
