The world's top 20 economies will take stock of trade tensions and the fight against climate change at the Buenos Aires summit on Friday 30 November and Saturday 1 December.
Also on the agenda is the conclusion of the projects launched by the Argentine Presidency in 2018 - the future of work, development infrastructure and a sustainable food future.
On Friday afternoon, leaders will discuss the challenges facing the multilateral trade order. In the context of escalating tensions between China and the United States, the need to reform the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is becoming increasingly urgent (see EUROPE 12139).
According to a draft, the G20 reiterates its support for the multilateral trading system, but makes no direct reference, at this stage, to the 'protectionism' promoted by the US administration.
However, a report on the trade measures of the 20, published by the WTO on Thursday 22 November, reveals an escalation of measures restricting imports over the last six months. These measures are estimated at $481 billion, a massive increase, six times greater than the value of the measures recorded in the previous period.
But the EU is not ready to accept a watered-down statement. "We have clear commitments on trade, on fighting protectionism, on the issues at stake, on the WTO reform. This is already included in the Hamburg Communiqué", said a European source, referring to the 2017 G20 summit.
In Hamburg, G20 leaders called for, in addition to WTO reform, the maintenance of "reciprocal and mutually beneficial" trade relations that combat "unfair trade practices", while recognising "the legitimacy of trade defence instruments" (see EUROPE 11826).
According to this European source, it is now necessary to "have clear language on what we aim at", and then to obtain "an operational commitment from the leaders to instruct their Ministers,'Sherpas' , advisers to work on these issues in order to update the rules", added the same source. "We hope than we can have this kind of dialogue to define a clear road from Buenos Aires and Osaka [where the 2019 summit will take place]," they added.
The EU wants to avoid creating an anti-American front on these issues. As EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström recalled, "the US and the EU agree on the definition of problems, but not always on the solutions".
The EU does not like the unilateral approach chosen by the Trump administration to solve problems that Europeans consider legitimate, such as overcapacity in the steel sector or forced technology transfers.
The possibility of a second meeting between President Juncker and President Trump to review bilateral trade frictions (see EUROPE 12142) has not been confirmed.
Climate. On Saturday, December 1st, the G20 will take stock of the climate issue, two days before the opening of COP 24 in Katowice (see EUROPE 12131, 12125). Having reneged on the United States' commitment to implement the Paris Agreement, US President Donald Trump will not attend these exchanges.
On climate, the line followed by the European Union is similar. "We will fight for a reference to the Paris Agreement in the Communiqué", said this European source. But "we don’t want to finger point at the US in an exaggerated way [...]. We respect their decision, we will now have to find a way out”, they added.
Among the topics that could bring together views is the focus on sustainable finance at the UN conference.
In Hamburg, 19 delegations renewed their commitment to implement the Paris Agreement, while the United States called for "working closely with other countries to facilitate access to and use of fossil fuels in a cleaner and more efficient way".
Digital taxation. The thorny issue of adequate taxation of the digital sector will also be one of the topics of discussion at the Buenos Aires Summit.
Europeans will also call on their counterparts to commit themselves to global rules to tax the digital economy, in order to ensure fair taxation of digital platforms where their activities generate profits.
A proposal for a directive is on the table of European finance ministers, but its adoption, which France strongly supported at the Ecofin Council on Tuesday 4 December, remains subject to formal acceptance by countries such as Germany and Ireland.
Migration. The G20 summit will also discuss the Global Compact for Migration.
On this point, the Europeans are advancing in a dispersed order while five Member States refuse to sign the compact (see other news).
Other countries, such as Argentina or Turkey, have taken a proactive approach to this issue. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel and Mathieu Bion)