[1] Previous G8 summits have been hosted by France in locations which include Rambouillet (1975); Versailles (1982); Grande Arche, Paris (1989); Lyon (1996); and Évian-les-Bains (2003).

[5] The G8 summits have inspired widespread debates, protests and demonstrations; and the two- or three-day event becomes more than the sum of its parts, elevating the participants, the issues and the venue as focal points for activist pressure.

These summit participants represent the current core members of the international forum:[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Traditionally, the host country of the G8 summit sets the agenda for negotiations, but world events caused the list of topics to expand, including such issues such as the Fukushima nuclear accident,[20] the European sovereign debt crisis,[21] the conflict in Libya, Iran's nuclear programme, Syria's crackdown on pro-democracy protests, and the selection of a new managing director for the International Monetary Fund.

As a practical matter, the summit was also conceived as an opportunity for its members to give each other mutual encouragement in the face of difficult economic decisions.

[24] French general priorities included: Some of the specific topics on the agenda were: Protest groups and other activists were expected to make a showing at the summit.

[39] Security planning was designed to ensure that the summit's formal agenda can remain the primary focus of the attendees' discussions;[40] but effectively this meant converting the seaside resort into a fortress for the G8.