It is directly-elected and made up of 705 members (MEPs) representing all EU countries. Therefore, the Council decisions are the result of aggregating the interests of the Member States, in a process where it must maintain a permanent dialog with the other institutions participating in the legislative process, namely the European Commission and the European Parliament. You already know that the Treaties are important sources of information about the European Union institutions, but it is important that you start using them. Before that, the first summits of EU heads of state or government were held in February and July 1961 (in Paris and Bonn respectively). The role and duties of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. For this reason, the Council is a body of diplomatic negotiations by excellence, where the States defend their legitimate national interests. Agreements reached in Eurogroup gatherings are formally decided upon in the Council the next day, with only ministers of Eurozone countries voting on those issues. The Council is a key EU decision-maker. It is a single legal entity, although members are not fixed. The Council is an essential EU decision-maker. It negotiates and adopts legislative acts in most cases together with the European Parliament through the ordinary legislative procedure, also known as 'codecision'. The European Council officially gained the status of an EU institution after the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007, distinct from the Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers). The Foreign Affairs Council has a permanent chairperson - the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. In the Brussels-based Council, government ministers from each EU country meet to discuss, amend and adopt laws, and coordinate policies. Depending on the configuration, each country sends their minister responsible for that policy area.For example, when the Council meeting on economic and financial affairs (the \"Ecofin Council\") is held, it is attended by each country's finance minister. For example, any Environment Council meeting in the period when Estonia holds the presidency will be chaired by the Estonian environment minister. It is one of three legislative bodies and together with the European Parliament serves to amend and approve the proposals of the European Commission, which holds legislative initiative. In a series of very specific fields, the Council makes decisions using special legislative procedures (the assent and the consultation procedure) in which the role of the Parliament is limited. Eurozone countries coordinate their economic policy through the Eurogroup, which consists of their economy and finance ministers. The Council gives the Commission the mandate to negotiate, on behalf of the European Union, agreements between the European Union and third countries as well as international organizations. Once the Council receives a proposal from the Commission, the text is simultaneously analyzed by the Council and the European Parliament. The Council of the European Union The Council of the EU is the institution representing the member states' governments. Also known informally as the EU Council, the Council of the European Union is the EU's main decision-making body.Jointly with the Parliament, it has the power to adopt, amend or reject laws (legislative power), which are initiated by the European Commission. It negotiates and adopts legislation, in most cases, together with the European Parliament through the ordinary legislative procedure, also known as codecision. The Council in Summary. As of 1950, the European Coal and Steel Community begins to unite European countries economically and … The presidency … Coordinates the policies of Member States, Develops the common foreign and security policy of the European Union. What does council of the european union mean? It is important to avoid confusions and emphasize that the Council of the European Union is different from the European Council which gathers the EU heads of state/government in Brussels and different also from the Council of Europe, located in Strasbourg, the latter being an international institution not included in the European Union structure. Best known for the European Convention on Human Rights. To block a decision, at least 4 countries are needed (representing at least 35% of total EU population). The GSC's Translation Service (LING) With 500 million citizens and 24 official languages in the EU, multilingualism is a cherished principle enshrined in … More about the Council of the EU In this case, the Council enacts laws based on the proposals submitted by the European Commission. Both of these come with their respective laws and make sure the application of these laws in the most convincing manner. The European Union (abbreviation: EU) is a confederation of 27 member countries in Europe established by the Maastricht Treaty in 1992-1993. The following competencies are shared between the Council of the European Union and the Member States: the single market; aspects of social policy laid down by the Treaty of Lisbon; Agriculture and Fisheries (except for the preservation of biological resources); environment; consumer protection; transports; Trans-European Networks; Area of Freedom, Security and Justice; common security in the field of public health; research, technological development, space; cooperation for development and humanitarian aid. While the other EU institutions are chaired by Presidents with multi-annual mandates, the Council of the European Union doesn’t have a permanent, single-person president and its Presidency rotates every 6 months. The Council of the European Union The Council of the EU is the institution representing the member states' governments. Definition of council of the european union in the Definitions.net dictionary. Codecision is used for policy areas where the European Union has exclusive or shared competence with the member states. During the last video, we talked about the European Council. It meets the day before Economic & Financial Affairs Council meetings. It includes 47 member states, 27 of which are members of the European Union. Instead, the Council meets in 10 different configurations, each corresponding to the policy area being discussed. In most cases, the Council decides together with the European Parliament by means of ordinary legislative procedure, also known as “codecision”. Let’s look at Article 16 the Treaties in order to find out what the Council does and what it […] Exclusive competencies of the Council of the European Union: Customs Union; competition policies; monetary policy in the Euro area; the preservation of marine biological resources within the maritime policy (fishing quotas of each State); common commercial policy; international agreements (when the activity field on which the agreement is provided in the European legislation). All other Council meetings are chaired by the relevant minister of the country holding the rotating EU presidency. Such agreements may cover wide areas, such as trade, cooperation and development, or can refer to specific subjects such as textiles, fishing, customs, transport, science and technology. It includes 47 member states, 28 … The Council of the European Union is responsible for coordinating the policies of Member States in specific fields, such as: – economic and budgetary policies: The Council coordinates the economic and budgetary policies of the Member States, in view of consolidating economic governance in the European Union, monitoring their budgetary policies and strengthening the budgetary framework of the European Union, while also dealing with the legal and practical aspects of the Euro currency and with capital flows; – education, culture, youth, and sports: The Council adopts the policy frameworks of the European Union and the work plans in these fields, establishing the cooperation priorities between the Member States and the Commission; – employment policy The Council issues, following the conclusions of the European Council, yearly guidelines and recommendations to Member States concerning the employment situation in the European Union; The Council defines and implements the common foreign and security policy of the European Union, based on the guidelines set by the European Council. The European Parliament decides upon EU legislation, including the multiannual budget , together with the Council of the European Union (EU Member State governments). Also known informally as the EU Council, it is where national ministers from each EU country meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies. EU Council competencies in supporting, coordinating and complementing the Member States: the protection and improvement of human health; education, vocational training, youth, and sport; tourism; culture; industry; civil protection; administrative cooperation. Together with the European Parliament, the Council is the main decision-making body of the EU.. The Council of the European Union (or the Council or the Council of Ministers) is the main decision making body in the EU. The Council of the EU - where national ministers discuss EU legislation - doesn't have a permanent, single-person president. Every EU Member State has the obligation to hold in turn the Council Presidency and chair the its meetings at the ministerial, diplomatic and expert level. Acest site foloseste cookies. The council is made up of the Union’s 27 heads of state, plus a president. For example, if a policy area is not cited in a treaty, the Commission cannot propose a law in that area. The Council of the European Union negotiates and adopts EU legislation together with the European Parliament. Its work is led by the country holding the Council presidency, which rotates every 6 months. At the end of negotiations, the Council decides on the signing and conclusion of the agreement, acting on a proposal from the Commission. Also known informally as the EU Council, it is where national ministers from each EU country meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies. The composition of the council changes frequently, as governments send different representatives depending on the policy area under discussion. Unlike the Parliament that has a decision-making capacity in certain areas, the Council exercises its decision-making rights on virtually all EU legislation. European Union and the Council of Europe are two independent organizations being aimed towards the integration of the whole Europe and its consequent progress. The Council makes the final decision to conclude the agreement, after the Parliament has expressed its approval (necessary in fields that fall under the codecision procedure), and following the ratification by all Member States. It is usually adopted in December and starts on January 1, the following year. Its members are elected every five years. With each reading, the proposal passes through three levels within the Council: This allows for a technical analysis of the proposal at working group level, the political responsibility for the proposal being assumed at ministerial level, while the examination by the ambassadors within COREPER combine technical knowledge and political analysis. The Council consists of a government minister from each member state. In the unique set-up of the European Union institutional structure, the Council of the European Union is the institution where the governments of the EU member States defend their own country’s national interests in the negotiation of the legislative and non-legislative files. A maximum of three readings can take place before the Council and the Parliament agree on a legislative proposal or reject it. This includes the Union’s humanitarian and development aid, defence and trade. Depending on the configuration, each country sends their minister responsible for that policy area. There are no fixed members of the EU Council. You can put general questions to the Council's public information service. In European Union: Creation of the European Economic Community …the EU has been the Council of the European Union (originally the Council of Ministers), which consists of ministerial representatives. Type of visit: Information session, seminar, Video: Decision-making process in the Council of the EU, Video: Voting system in the Council of the EU, Video: Differences between the European Council and the Council of the European Union, Give feedback about this website or report a problem, Institutions, bodies & agencies – contact & visit details, Public contracts in the EU – rules and guidelines, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), EU ministers meet in public when they discuss or vote on draft legislative acts, to be passed, decisions usually require a, 55% of countries (with 27 current members, this means, representing at least 65 % of total EU population. The Council of the European Union shares decision-making power with the European Parliament, particularly in the areas of law-making and budget approval. Overall consistency is ensured by the General Affairs Council - which is supported by the Permanent Representatives Committee. The European Council, which is the meeting place for heads of state or government, sets the EU’s overall policy agenda and its priorities. The Council of the European Union, often referred to in the treaties and other official documents simply as the Council , and informally known as the Council of Ministers, is the third of the seven Institutions of the European Union (EU) as listed in the Treaty on European Union. What is the Council of the European Union? The Council adopts the budget of the European Union together with the European Parliament. The Council of the EU is the institution representing the member states of the EU. This is composed of EU countries' Permanent Representatives to the EU, who are, in effect, national ambassadors to the EU. The Council of the European Union The Council of the EU is the institution representing the member states' governments. Informally known as the Council, it is where the ministers from each EU country meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies. The president of the European Council is the person presiding over and driving forward the work of the European Council, as well as a principal representative of the European Union (EU) on the world stage. The analysis is also known as “reading”. Meaning of council of the european union. In the Council of the EU, informally also known as the Council, government ministers from each EU country meet to discuss, amend and adopt laws, and coordinate policies. The Council, together with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, ensures the unity, consistency, and effectiveness of the European Union’s external action. The Council of the European Union (EU) is the institution that represents the member states' governments. The European Union is set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours, which culminated in the Second World War. The Council of Europe is the continent's leading human rights organisation. Together with the European Parliament, the Council is the main decision-making body of the EU. Codecision applies in policy areas where the Union has exclusive or shared competence with the Member States. It was established in the 1950s and is made up of National Government Ministers grouped together by policy area, consisting of ten configurations of 28 ministers. The European Council defines the overall political direction and priorities of the European Union, setting its policy agenda. The European Parliament (EP) is the legislative branch of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. We need to highlight it’s not the same. This means that every action taken by the EU is founded on treaties that have been approved voluntarily and democratically by all EU member countries. For example, representatives from the presidency country chair its meetings. Prin navigarea pe acest site, vă exprimați acordul asupra folosirii cookie-urilor. In these cases, the Council legislates on the basis of proposals submitted by the European Commission. Information and translations of council of the european union in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. The European Parliament gets the first read of all laws the Commission proposes. Instead, the Council meets in 10 different configurations, each corresponding to the policy area being discussed. The ministers have the authority to commit their governments to the actions agreed on in the meetings. 2.Presidency With the exception of the Foreign Affairs Council, the Council is chaired by the representative of the Member State that holds the European Union’s presidency: this changes every six months, in the order decided by the Council acting unanimously (Article 16(9) TEU). The Council of the European Union (also called the Council and the "Council of Ministers", its former title) forms one half of the EU's legislature. It meets at least four times each year, but more often when necessary. There are no fixed members of the EU Council. The EU is run by five main institutions: the European Council, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Court of Justice.. Also known informally as the EU Council, it is where national ministers from each EU country meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies. For example, when the Council meeting on economic and financial affairs (the "Ecofin Council") is held, it is attended by each country's finance minister. Decisions of the European Council are milestones in the history of the European Union. Traditionally, it is considered that within the institutional architecture of the European Union the Council represents the interests of Member States governments, while the European Parliament represents the interests of citizens, and the Commission represents the interests of the Union as a whole. The EU grew out of the European Economic Community (EEC) which was established by the Treaties of Rome in 1957. In these cases, the Council legislates on the basis of proposals submitted by the European Commission. The Council of the European Union is one of the seven institutions created by the European Union Treaties and, together with the European Parliament and the European Commission, it is involved in the drafting of the European legislation.   The European Council gets the second read on all laws and can accept the Parliament’s position, thus adopting the law. The Council of Ministers of the EU is one of the EU's two legislative chambers, the other being the European parliament. For more information about the European Council, the Council of the European Union and the daily activities of both, feel free to visit the Council website. A.Membership 1.Members The Council consists of a representative of each Member State at ministerial level, who ‘may commit the government of the Member State in question’ (Article 16(2) TEU).