Council of the EU
Composition Task & responsabilities Functioning
Intergovernmental: it consists of one or The decision-making body of the EU, 1) Presidency
more ministerial representative(s) from each including foreign affairs and security - No fixed leadership
Member State policy and JHA. - Rotating presidency among the Member
- They are authorized to formally States
commit the government of the Before: The Council could adopt legal - Term: half a year
Member State each represents. instruments depending on the pillar. - Prescribed order
- Always grouping 3 countries to closely work
They participate in the political and Lisbon Treaty: together.
legislative work of the Union. - Regulations
- They do not meet as individuals, but - Directives Why: to limit the role of national presidencies.
as representatives of their Member - Decisions
States. - Recommendations How: Trio Program instead of having each an
- They act under orders of and with the - Opinions individual program.
authorization of their own
government. Results: failed.
Each Member State relies heavily on its own
General Council: as a rule, ministers of national program.
European Affairs act as Council Members.
2) Preparatory and advisory bodies
The Council works with 10 different Council The Council is assisted by several preparatory and
configurations: advisory institutions.
- Depending on the content of the => COSI
agenda. => Coreper
- The Council Members will be
accompanied of completely replaced 3) Decision-making
by colleagues. The items on the agenda of the Council are
- This happens when certain questions determined by Coreper.
, on the agenda fall under their
national competencies. A POINTS:
- The council shall be composed of the If all Permanent Representatives have reached an
ministers of those departments. agreement on the subject.
the Council will agree without further debate.
Ex.: when the Council decides on cooperation
in the area of JHA, these ministers will be B POINTS:
Council Members. All other topics Coreper hasn’t reached an
In such cases, the Council is called the JHA agreement on.
council. the Council will only debate about B points.
=> It does not often happen that the Ministers
Principle: Council is one indivisible reach an agreement in the meeting on these
institution. points.
- There is only one Council, despite
what configuration the Council Usually, these topics are sent back to Coreper.
decides to adopt. They will suggest amendments that make the
- It’s always a decision ‘of the Council’. draft text acceptable to all Member States.
- The specific configuration is not
formally mentioned when this is => Often these amended points appear as an A
done. point on the agenda at the next meeting.
VOTING PROCEDURES:
Complicated system of weighting of votes.
Certain Member States’ votes will weigh more
than other Member States’ votes.
=> Treaty of Nice
Different forms of majority used to vote:
- Absolute majority of the votes
- Qualified majority of the votes
Composition Task & responsabilities Functioning
Intergovernmental: it consists of one or The decision-making body of the EU, 1) Presidency
more ministerial representative(s) from each including foreign affairs and security - No fixed leadership
Member State policy and JHA. - Rotating presidency among the Member
- They are authorized to formally States
commit the government of the Before: The Council could adopt legal - Term: half a year
Member State each represents. instruments depending on the pillar. - Prescribed order
- Always grouping 3 countries to closely work
They participate in the political and Lisbon Treaty: together.
legislative work of the Union. - Regulations
- They do not meet as individuals, but - Directives Why: to limit the role of national presidencies.
as representatives of their Member - Decisions
States. - Recommendations How: Trio Program instead of having each an
- They act under orders of and with the - Opinions individual program.
authorization of their own
government. Results: failed.
Each Member State relies heavily on its own
General Council: as a rule, ministers of national program.
European Affairs act as Council Members.
2) Preparatory and advisory bodies
The Council works with 10 different Council The Council is assisted by several preparatory and
configurations: advisory institutions.
- Depending on the content of the => COSI
agenda. => Coreper
- The Council Members will be
accompanied of completely replaced 3) Decision-making
by colleagues. The items on the agenda of the Council are
- This happens when certain questions determined by Coreper.
, on the agenda fall under their
national competencies. A POINTS:
- The council shall be composed of the If all Permanent Representatives have reached an
ministers of those departments. agreement on the subject.
the Council will agree without further debate.
Ex.: when the Council decides on cooperation
in the area of JHA, these ministers will be B POINTS:
Council Members. All other topics Coreper hasn’t reached an
In such cases, the Council is called the JHA agreement on.
council. the Council will only debate about B points.
=> It does not often happen that the Ministers
Principle: Council is one indivisible reach an agreement in the meeting on these
institution. points.
- There is only one Council, despite
what configuration the Council Usually, these topics are sent back to Coreper.
decides to adopt. They will suggest amendments that make the
- It’s always a decision ‘of the Council’. draft text acceptable to all Member States.
- The specific configuration is not
formally mentioned when this is => Often these amended points appear as an A
done. point on the agenda at the next meeting.
VOTING PROCEDURES:
Complicated system of weighting of votes.
Certain Member States’ votes will weigh more
than other Member States’ votes.
=> Treaty of Nice
Different forms of majority used to vote:
- Absolute majority of the votes
- Qualified majority of the votes
