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2014 G7 Brussels Summit
Compliance Report

6 June 2014 to 31 May 2015
Prepared by Enko Koceku, Sarah Burton, David Cosolo and Michael Humeniuk
with Caroline Bracht,
G7 Research Group

June 6, 2015 (corrected on June 7, 2015; commitments renumbered on July 15, 2015)

The 2014 G7 Brussels Summit Compliance Report reviews progress made on selected commitments set out at the 2014 Brussels Summit for the period of 6 June 2014 to 31 May 2015. The preface and summary of the findings are listed below. The 2014 G7 Brussels Compliance Scores, with rankings by country and by issue.

Download the full 192-page report here.

The report contains the following sections, which can be downloaded separately:

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Preface

Each year since 1996, the G8 Research Group has produced a compliance report on the progress made by the G8 members in meeting the commitments their leaders issue at each summit. Since 2002, the group has usually published an interim report to assess progress during the transition from one host to the next, as well as the final report issued just before the annual summit. These reports, which monitor each G8 member's implementation of a carefully chosen selection of the many commitments announced at the end of each summit, are offered to the general public and to policy makers, academics, civil society, the media and interested citizens around the world in an effort to make the work of the G8 more transparent and accessible, and to provide scientific data to enable the meaningful analysis of this unique and informal institution. Compliance reports are available at the G7 Information Centre at www.g7.utoronto.ca/compliance.

Based at the University of Toronto and founded in 1987, the mission of the G7 and G8 Research Group is to serve as the leading independent source of information and analysis on the institutions, performance, issues and participants of the G7/8 summit and system of global governance. It is an global network of scholars, students and professionals. The group oversees the G7 Information Centre, which publishes freely available research on the G7 as well as official documents issued by the G7.

For the 2014 Final Compliance Report, 16 priority commitments were selected from the 147 commitments made at the Brussels Summit, hosted by the European Union from 4 to 5 June 2014. This report assesses the results of compliance with those commitments as of 30 May 2015.

To make its assessments, the G7 Research Group relies on publicly available information, documentation and media reports. To ensure the accuracy, comprehensiveness and integrity of these reports, we encourage comments and suggestions. Indeed, this is a living document, and the scores can be recalibrated if new material becomes available. All feedback remains anonymous and is not attributed. Responsibility for this report's contents lies exclusively with the authors and analysts of the G8 Research Group.

This report is produced entirely on a voluntary basis. It receives no direct financial support from any source, by a process insulated from the other major activities of the G7 and G8 Research Group, such as the "briefing book" produced by Newsdesk Media or the pre-summit conferences sponsored by various institutions.

The work of the G8 Research Group would not be possible without the steadfast dedication of many people around the world. This report is the product of a team of energetic and hard-working analysts led by Enko Koceku, chair of the student G7 Research Group, as well as the co-directors of the Compliance Unit: Sarah Burton, David Cosolo and Michael Humeniuk. It would also not be possible without the support of Dr. Ella Kokotsis, director of accountability, and Caroline Bracht, senior researcher. We are also indebted to the many people who provide feedback on our drafts, whose comments have been carefully considered in this revised report.

John Kirton
Director
G7 Research Group

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Executive Summary

The Overall Final Compliance Score

The University of Toronto G7 Research Group Final Compliance Report on the 2014 Brussels Summit is based on the analysis of G7 countries and the European Union with 16 priority commitments made at the Brussels Summit. The period covered by this analysis is from 5 June 2014 to 30 May 2015. The final scores are summarized in Table A.

Scores are assigned on a scale where +1 indicates full compliance with the stated commitment, 0 is awarded for partial compliance or a work in progress, and −1 when countries fail to comply or that take action that is directly opposite to the commitment.

The Final Compliance Score

The results of the G7 Research Group's assessments indicate that, from 5 June 2014 to 30 May 2015, G7 members received an average compliance score of +0.63. This is up from the previous year's score of +0.50 for compliance with the commitments made at the 2013 Lough Erne Summit. This indicates positive growth in states' compliance with G7 commitments over the past few years.

Compliance by Member

The European Union is ranked first with an average compliance score of +0.81, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States each with a score of +0.75 (see Table B). Canada remains above the overall average of +0.69 for all members with a score of +0.63. Countries below the average are France at +0.50, Japan at +0.44 and Italy with +0.38.

The first-ranked score of the EU, which hosted the 2014 Brussels Summit, suggests the presence of the hosting effect. The United Kingdom and United States have consistently ranked high in recent summits, having recently hosted summits. Germany also ranks well above the average as the expected host for the incoming 2015 Schloss Elmau Summit.

The Compliance Gap Between Members

The results from the 2014 Brussels Summit show a difference of 0.44 between the highest and lowest G7 compliance scores. This is consistent with the previous two years, with a spread of 0.45 in 2013 and 0.44 in 2012.

Compliance by Commitment

This year, the commitments with the highest compliance were tax evasion, stolen assets recovery, reproductive health, the issue of Syrian refugees and the regional security issue of Ukraine (see Table C). With respect to these commitments, the G7 members and EU all achieve a score of +1.0. The commitments on African infrastructure, infectious disease and the Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child health achieved a relatively high level of compliance at +0.75.With similar consistency, low carbon economies, climate finance and the Deauville partnership had a score of +0.63.

At a score of +0.50 and +0.38, crime and corruption, and protectionism placed in fifth and sixth place, respectively.

On the lower end of the spectrum, environmental goods and the Rome G7 Energy Initiative attained scores of +0.13.

With the lowest level of compliance, across all the commitments that were examined, preace and security in Libya had a score of −0.13

Future Research and Reports

The information contained within this report provides G7 members and other stakeholders with an indication of their compliance results during the 2014-15 period, which spans from 6 June 2014, immediately following the 2014 Brussels Summit, to 31 May 2015. As with previous compliance reports, this report has been produced as an invitation for others to provide additional or more complete information on country compliance. Comments are always welcomed and would be considered as part of an analytical reassessment. If so, please send your feedback to g8@utoronto.ca.

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Table A: 2014 G7 Brussels Compliance Scores

  Canada France Germany Italy Japan Russia United Kingdom United States European Union Average
Financial Regulation: Tax Evasion +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 - +1 +1 +1 +1.00 100%
Trade: Protectionism +1 -1 0 0 +1 - +1 0 +1 +0.38 69%
Trade: Environmental Goods 0 0 0 0 +1 - 0 0 0 +0.13 56%
Energy: Energy Security 0 0 +1 0 −1 - 0 +1 0 +0.13 56%
Climate Change: Low-Carbon Economies +1 +1 +1 −1 0 - +1 +1 +1 +0.63 81%
Climate Change: Climate Finance 0 +1 +1 0 0 - +1 +1 +1 +0.63 81%
Development: African Infrastructure 0 +1 +1 0 +1 - +1 +1 +1 +0.75 88%
Deauville Partnership +1 +1 +1 +1 0 - 0 0 +1 +0.63 81%
Stolen Assets Recovery +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 - +1 +1 +1 +1.00 100%
Crime and Corruption +1 +1 +1 -1 0 - +1 0 +1 +0.50 75%
Health: Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health +1 0 +1 +1 0 - +1 +1 +1 +0.75 88%
Health: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 - +1 +1 +1 +1.00 100%
Health: Infectious Diseases and Global Action Plan +1 0 +1 0 +1 - +1 +1 +1 +0.75 88%
Regional Security: Ukraine +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 - +1 +1 +1 +1.00 100%
Development: Syrian Refugees +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 - +1 +1 +1 +1.00 100%
Peace and Security: Libya 0 -1 -1 +1 -1 - 0 +1 0 −0.13 44%
Compliance Average +0.69 +0.50 +0.75 +0.38 +0.44 - +0.75 +0.75 +0.81 +0.63 82%
84% 75% 88% 69% 72% - 88% 88% 91% 82%  
2013 Final Compliance Average +0.50 +0.50 +0.39 +0.33 +0.33 +0.39 +0.78 +0.72 +0.61 +0.51 76%
2013 Interim Compliance Average +0.44 +0.44 +0.28 +0.28 +0.17 +0.22 +0.56 +0.61 +0.61 +0.40 70%
2012 Final Compliance Average +0.71 +0.65 +0.76 +0.29 +0.65 +0.18 +0.65 +0.88 +0.59 +0.60 80%
2011 Final Compliance Average +0.67 +0.50 +0.44 +0.33 +0.56 +0.56 +0.61 +0.61 +0.61 +0.54 77%
2010 Final Compliance Average +0.61 +0.44 +0.50 +0.17 +0.28 +0.61 +0.50 +0.56 +0.44 +0.46 73%

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Table B: 2014 G7 Brussels Compliance Scores by Country

  2014 Final Compliance 2013 Final Compliance 2013 Interim Compliance 2012 Final Compliance 2011 Final Compliance 2010 Final Compliance
European Union +0.81 +0.39 +0.22 +0.18 +0.56 +0.61
Germany +0.75 +0.61 +0.61 +0.59 +0.61 +0.44
United Kingdom +0.75 +0.72 +0.61 +0.88 +0.61 +0.56
United States +0.75 +0.78 +0.56 +0.65 +0.61 +0.50
Canada +0.69 +0.39 +0.28 +0.76 +0.44 +0.50
France +0.50 +0.50 +0.44 +0.71 +0.67 +0.61
Japan +0.44 +0.50 +0.44 +0.65 +0.50 +0.44
Italy +0.38 +0.33 +0.17 +0.65 +0.56 +0.28
Russia - +0.33 +0.28 +0.29 +0.33 +0.17
Average +0.63 +0.52 +0.42 +0.60 +0.54 +0.46
Spread 0.44 0.45 0.44 0.70 0.34 0.44

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Table C: 2014 G7 Brussels Compliance Scores by Issue

Commitment Score
Financial Regulation: Tax Evasion +1.00 100%
Stolen Assets Recovery +1.00 100%
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights +1.00 100%
Development: Syrian Refugees +1.00 100%
Regional Security: Ukraine +1.00 100%
Development: African Infrastructure +0.75 88%
Health: Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health +0.75 88%
Health: Infectious Diseases and Global Action Plan +0.75 88%
Climate Change: Low-Carbon Economies +0.63 81%
Climate Change: Climate Finance +0.63 81%
Deauville Partnership +0.63 81%
Crime and Corruption +0.50 75%
Trade: Protectionism +0.38 69%
Trade: Environmental Goods +0.13 56%
Energy: Energy Security +0.13 56%
Peace and Security: Libya −0.13 44%
Compliance Average +0.63 82%

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