Council of the European Union

Resume
Foundation
1957 by the EC Treaty
The EU institution:
Council
Key facts:

also known as Council of Ministers

Is the EU's main decision-making body

It represents the member states

Its meetings are attended by one minister from each of the EU’s national governments
(Which ministers attend which meeting depends on what subjects are on the agenda).

President
Herman Van Rompuy as from 1 December 2009 (for a period of two years)
Staff
4.200 Persons
Budget
633,5 Million Euros (as of Dec/2008)
See figures at http://www.consilium.europa.eu/showPage.aspx?id=1633&lang=en
Council configurations
Altogether there are nine different Council configurations:

General Affairs and External Relations
Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN)
Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs
Competitiveness
Transport, Telecommunications and Energy
Agriculture and Fisheries
Environment
Education, Youth and Culture

Minister's role
Each minister in the Council is:

empowered to commit his or her government.
(The minister’s signature is the signature of the whole government).

answerable to his or her national parliament and to the citizens that parliament represents.
(This ensures the democratic legitimacy of the Council’s decisions).

European Council

European Council is:

A meeting, up to four times a year
Between the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states and the President of the European Commission”.
Known as ‘summit’ meetings
Aim is to set overall EU policy and resolve issues that could not be settled at a lower level
Responsabilities
The Council has six key responsibilities:

To pass European laws – jointly with the European Parliament in many policy areas.
To co-ordinate the broad economic policies of the member states.
To conclude international agreements between the EU and other countries or international organisations.
To approve the EU’s budget, jointly with the European Parliament.
To develop the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), based on guidelines set by the European Council.
To co-ordinate co-operation between the national courts and police forces in criminal matters.

Resume
Foundation	1957 by the EC Treaty
The EU institution: Council	Key facts: also known as Council of Ministers Is the EU's main decision-making body It represents the member states Its meetings are attended by one minister from each of the EU’s national governments (Which ministers attend which meeting depends on what subjects are on the agenda).
President	Herman Van Rompuy as from 1 December 2009 (for a period of two years)
Staff	4.200 Persons
Budget	633,5 Million Euros (as of Dec/2008) See figures at http://www.consilium.europa.eu/showPage.aspx?id=1633&lang=en
Council configurations	Altogether there are nine different Council configurations: General Affairs and External Relations Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Competitiveness Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Agriculture and Fisheries Environment Education, Youth and Culture
Minister's role	Each minister in the Council is: empowered to commit his or her government. (The minister’s signature is the signature of the whole government). answerable to his or her national parliament and to the citizens that parliament represents. (This ensures the democratic legitimacy of the Council’s decisions).
European Council	European Council is: A meeting, up to four times a year Between the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states and the President of the European Commission”. Known as ‘summit’ meetings Aim is to set overall EU policy and resolve issues that could not be settled at a lower level
Responsabilities	The Council has six key responsibilities: To pass European laws – jointly with the European Parliament in many policy areas. To co-ordinate the broad economic policies of the member states. To conclude international agreements between the EU and other countries or international organisations. To approve the EU’s budget, jointly with the European Parliament. To develop the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), based on guidelines set by the European Council. To co-ordinate co-operation between the national courts and police forces in criminal matters.