The IGC, convened by the President of the European Council, decides on treaty changes unanimously. Several Member States have received financial aid packages through ad hoc or temporary agreements decided by the Heads of State or Government and later ratified in the Member States. One day after an estimated 200,000 people flooded the streets of Minsk demanding longtime leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka to step down, the council established to … The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policyalso takes part in its meetings. Each member state of the EU holds the Presidency on a six-month rotating basis. The ERC Scientific Council has set up Thematic Working Groups to address specific issues. The Council of Europe is the continent's leading human rights organisation. The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) protects the human rights of people in countries that belong to the Council of Europe. Over the years, it has acquired a role and position that were not envisaged in official texts such as the Stuttgart Declaration (1983) in the earlier stages of European integration. The European Trade Union Confederation explains: What is a European Works Council? Meeting in Brussels on 22 and 23 June 2016, the European Council agreed on the need to launch permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) to strengthen Europe’s security and defence. The Council of Europe is the continent's leading human rights organisation. In the Paris European summit of February 1974, it was decided that these meetings of Heads of State or Government should henceforth be held on a regular basis under the name of ‘European Council’, which would be able to adopt a general approach to the problems of European integration and ensure that EU activities were properly coordinated. 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. All EU Member States are taking part in PESCO, except for Denmark and Malta. The council is made up of the Union’s 27 heads of state, plus a president. The European Council can also be seen as the institution where the power lies. Member State governments, with the active participation of the Commission, Parliament and the European Central Bank, have drawn up an international treaty – the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance (also called the ‘Fiscal Compact’) – permitting stricter control of Member States’ budgetary and socio-economic policies. The institutional changes brought about by the Lisbon Treaty have yet to be assessed. Council of the European Union – Presidency. Its 751 members are elected every five years by universal suffrage and sit according to political allegiance . European Union vs Council of Europe Similar to how the U.N. was organized, in order to ensure a peaceful and more harmonious world, the Council of Europe (CoE) and European Union (EU) are two distinct bodies that were created for Europe and its member nations to … A. Essen European Council Essen, 9 and 10 December 1.1. The Lisbon Treaty established the European Council as an institution of the Union and endowed it with a long-term presidency. The Council of the European Union (hereinafter ‘the Council’), acting by a qualified majority and by common accord with the President-elect, adopts the list of the other persons whom it proposes for appointment as members of the Commission, on the basis of the suggestions made by Member States. The Single Act (1986) included the European Council in the body of the Community Treaties for the first time, defining its composition and providing for biannual meetings. Meeting in Luxembourg on 3 October 2005, the Council approved a framework for negotiations with Croatia and Turkey on their accession to the EU. The European Council gets the second read on all laws and can accept the Parliament’s position, thus adopting the law. However, Parliament is also able to exercise some informal influence through the presence of its President at European Council meetings and pre-European Council meetings of the party leaders in their respective European political families, as well as through the resolutions it adopts on items on the agenda for meetings, on the outcome of meetings and on the formal reports submitted by the European Council. The legislative function of the Council. With the Lisbon Treaty, the new office of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy became an additional actor proposing and implementing foreign policy on behalf of the European Council. The European Council has set the terms for each round of EU enlargement. In its frame transnational, binding according to international law agreements (Council of Europe conventions) are made aiming at preserving the common heritage and to support economic and social development. The Council of the European Union shares decision-making power with the European Parliament, particularly in the areas of law-making and budget approval. B. After two and a half years of institutional stalemate, the European Council of 21 and 22 June 2007 adopted a detailed mandate for an intergovernmental conference leading to the signature on 13 December 2007 of the Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force on 1 December 2009 (1.1.5). The European Council gets the second read on all laws and can accept the Parliament’s position, thus adopting the law. The European Research Council (ERC) is a public body for funding of scientific and technological research conducted within the European Union (EU). The same procedure may apply if Member States decide to establish enhanced cooperation in this field (Article 20 of the TEU). Moreover, the European Council often asks the Commission to submit reports in preparation for its meetings. On 10 April 2019, the European Council (Article 50) took note of UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s letter of 5 April 2019 asking for a further extension of the period referred to in Article 50(3) of the TEU. It is worth noting that the President of the European Council regularly reports to Parliament. B. The President’s role is set out in Article 15 of the TEU. Led by its President - currently Charles Michel - and comprising national heads of state or government and the President of the Commission, it meets for a few days at a time at least twice every 6 months. It is not one of the EU's legislating institutions, so does not negotiate or adopt EU laws. Lately, migration flows to the EU and internal security issues have also greatly occupied the European Council. Nevertheless, its intergovernmental constitution and decision-making procedures may be curbing the federal development of European integration in general. The Treaty of Lisbon (formally known as the Treaty on European Union, 2009) made the European Council a full institution of the EU (Article 13) and defined its tasks, which are to ‘provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and define the general political directions and priorities thereof’ (Article 15). European Parliament legislative resolution of 16 April 2014 on a proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament on the detailed provisions governing the exercise of the European Parliament’s right of inquiry and repealing Decision 95/167/EC, Euratom, ECSC of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, OJ C 443, 22.12.2017, p. In stage 1, it sets long-term objectives (agenda-setting); in stage 2, it calls for action by other EU institutions (policy formulation); in stage 3, it endorses actions of other EU institutions (affirming ownership); and in stage 4, it assesses policy implementation at European and national levels (scrutiny). The European Council brings together EU leaders at least four times a year. The European Council today acts as an ultimate decision-maker and court […] The European Parliament (EP) shares the legislative and budgetary authority of the Union with the Council of the European Union (of relevant national government ministers). As the stages influence each other, their dividing lines are often fluid. The European Council (informally EUCO) is a collegiate body that defines the overall political directions and priorities of the European Union. The Commission President is also a non-voting member. The EHC unites people who are involved in or interested in special programs for talented students in higher education (often known as … In total, 47 projects are currently in place under PESCO. Its full title is the ‘Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms’. It is a single legal entity, although members are not fixed. European Payments Council action in this area has two purposes: reducing the cost of cash, which is considerable, and harmonising cash services in Europe, which should improve both the cost-effectiveness of cash and the quality of the cash distributed. 1. European Council: an institution of the European Union that consists of the heads of government of the EU Member States, the European Commission President and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy. The Accession Treaty with Croatia was signed on 9 December 2011, and Croatia acceded on 1 July 2013. That is why these ‘summits’ are followed by so many journalists. It marks the end of the period under Article 50 of the TEU and the beginning of a transition period that lasts until 31 December 2020. The European Council normally meets at least four times a year. The European Innovation Council (EIC) is a key novelty of Horizon Europe and represents the most ambitious innovation initiative that Europe has taken, with a budget of €10 billion for the period 2021-2027. Since 2008, it has met more often, in particular during the financial crisis and the subsequent euro area debt crisis. European Council Decision (EU) 2018/937 of 28 June 2018 establishing the composition of the European Parliament, OJ L 165, 2.7.2018, p. 1. International security and the fight against terrorism; European neighbourhood policy and relations with Russia; Relations with the Mediterranean countries and the Middle East. In addition, the European Council members meet in the format of ‘intergovernmental conferences’ (IGCs): these conferences of representatives of the governments of the Member States are convened to discuss and agree on EU treaty changes. The European Council takes decisions with complete independence and in most cases does not require a Commission initiative or the involvement of Parliament. The EIC has a mission to identify, develop and scale-up … The decision-making process begins with the European Commission sending the proposal for a new law, after it has been approved by the College of Commissioners. The Council Presidency represents the Council of the European Union vis-à-vis other EU institutions and also, in some cases, on an international level. These priorities are set out in a document called the ‘Strategic agenda for the Union in times of change’. It is used to plan the work of the European Council and acts as a basis for the work programmes of other EU institutions. Enlargement (5.5.1). The European Council is now authorised to adopt binding acts, which may be challenged before the Court of Justice of the European Union, including for failure to act (Article 265 of the TFEU). It includes 47 member states, 27 of which are members of the European Union, All Council of Europe member states have signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights, a treaty designed to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law, The European Court of Human Rights oversees the implementation of the Convention in the member states, These builders of Europe were the people who launched the process of European construction by founding the Council of Europe in 1949, Disclaimer - © Council of Europe 2021 - © photo credit. It is a single legal entity, although members are not fixed. On 23 March 2018, the European Council (Article 50), meeting in an EU-27 format, adopted the guidelines on the framework for a future relationship with the UK after Brexit. Welcome to the European Honors Council (EHC). If a Member State intends to oppose the adoption of a decision for important reasons of national policy, the Council may decide by qualified majority to refer the matter to the European Council for a unanimous decision (Article 31(2) of the TEU). Committees and working parties handle the preparatory work on files before they are discussed at Council meetings. At Copenhagen in 1993, it laid the foundations for a further wave of accession (Copenhagen criteria). ERC STANDING COMMITEES > The ERC Scientific Council has set up Standing Committees to address specific tasks. The UK is no longer an EU Member State, but a third country. Generally, it is the European Commission that proposes new laws and it is the European Parliament and Council that adopt them. In these cases, the Council legislates on the basis of proposals submitted by the European Commission. On 17 October 2019, the European Council, meeting in an EU-27 format, endorsed the revised withdrawal agreement and approved the revised political declaration that had been agreed on the very same day by the EU and UK negotiators. Under Article 13 of the TEU, the European Council forms part of the ‘single institutional framework’ of the Union. On 27 June 2014, it agreed on five priority areas to guide the EU’s work over the next five years: (1) jobs, growth and competitiveness; (2) empowering and protecting citizens; (3) energy and climate policies; (4) freedom, security and justice; and (5) the EU as a strong global actor. Together with the European Parliament, the Council is the main decision-making body of the EU. On 29 June 2018, the European Council adopted a decision on the composition of the European Parliament, which enables Member States to enact the necessary domestic measures for organising the elections to Parliament for the 2019–2024 term[1]. Council of Europe (not be confused with the European Council, the EU’s policy-making body), organization of European countries that seeks to protect democracy and human rights and to promote European unity by fostering cooperation on legal, cultural, and social issues. The European Council on 10-11 December 2020 addressed the concerns raised on the agreement and cleared the path for the recovery package to be adopted before 1 January 2021. The European Trade Union Confederation explains: What is a European Works Council? The European Council is now the summit conference of heads of state or government of the EU Member States. The European Council is the EU institution that defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union. Relations with the other institutions. The President of the European Parliament is usually invited to speak at the beginning of the meeting (Article 235(2) of the TFEU). The EHC is a network around the subject of talent development in European higher education, founded in 2016. Institutional reform. C. It can call on other EU institutions to take action, but it does not make law itself. European Union - Council of Europe Joint programmes' logos, Visual - 70th anniversary of the European Convention of Human Rights, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. The Laeken European Council (14 and 15 December 2001) decided to convene a Convention on the Future of Europe, which drew up the ill-fated Constitutional Treaty (1.1.4). The legislative function of the Council. Decisions taken in this area have included: Meeting in Helsinki on 10 and 11 December 1999, the European Council decided to reinforce the CFSP by developing military and non-military crisis management capabilities. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) interprets EU law to make sure it is applied in the same way in all EU countries, and settles legal disputes between national governments and EU institutions.. The European Council also plays an important role in the European Semester. Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters (4.2.6 and 4.2.7). ERC EXECUTIVE AGENCY (ERCEA) > The ERCEA implements and manages ERC operations. 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 European Council agreed to an extension until 31 October 2019, in order to allow for the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement. Meetings in subsequent years further specified the criteria for admission and the institutional reforms required beforehand. It is now called the ‘ordinary revision procedure’. Negotiates and adopts EU laws, together with the European Parliament, based on proposals from the European At its spring meetings, it issues policy orientations on macroeconomic, fiscal and structural reform and growth-enhancing policies. The Council of Europe is a forum for debates on general European questions. Council of ministers (Europe) Council of ministers (Europe) The Council of Ministers, typically referred to as just 'the Council', is the EU's main decision-making and legislative body. Economic governance and multiannual financial framework (MFF) (1.4.3). However, its role is to provide a general political impetus rather than act as a decision-making body in the legal sense. However, the Lisbon Treaty maintains an organisational link with the Commission, since its president is a non-voting member of the European Council, and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy attends the debates. European Council are therefore central to the life of the EU. The European Council is the EU’s key strategic and crisis-solving body, and the most senior of the seven EU institutions. Articles 13, 15, 26, 27 and 42(2) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). The president is elected by the European Council itself for a two-and-a-half-year term that may be renewed once and represents the EU to the outside world. The European Council can also be seen as the institution where the power lies. The Lisbon Treaty introduced several new bridging clauses enabling the European Council to change the decision-taking formula in the Council from unanimity to majority voting (1.2.4). The European Council has also contributed to overcoming deadlocks in the EU decision-making process. A. This increasingly raises questions about the role of the Commission and Parliament in the economic governance of the euro area. The European Council is the EU’s supreme political authority. These belong to the European Union, which is separate from the Council of Europe, although they have shared the same European flag and anthem since the 1980s since they both work for European integration. Now you probably want to know how the Council makes decisions and how it adopts new laws. ERC PRESIDENT AND SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL > As the ERC’s governing body, the Scientific Council defines the organisation’s funding strategy and methodologies. On 25 March 2011, the European Council adopted the decision amending Article 136 and paving the way for the creation of the European Stability Mechanism. The European Council provides the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and defines its general political guidelines (Article 4 of the Treaty on European Union (EU Treaty)). 2. The first of these ‘European summits’ took place in Paris in 1961 and they have become more frequent since 1969. The European Council provides the EU with ‘the necessary impetus for its development’ and defines its ‘general political directions and priorities’ (Article 15(1) of the TEU). The European Council takes the form of (usually quarterly) summit meetings between EU leaders, chaired by the President of the European Council. The first of these ‘European summits’ took place in Paris in 1961 and they have become more frequent since 1969. The European Council meeting in Tampere (15 and 16 October 1999) decided on the arrangements for drafting the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (4.1.2). In the Paris European summit of February 1974, it was decided that these meetings of Heads of State or Government should henceforth be held on a regular basis under the name of ‘European Council’, which would be able to adopt a general approach to the problems of European inte… Romania and Bulgaria joined the Union on 1 January 2007. The Council of the EU meets in different configurations depending on the topic discussed. PESCO was established by the Council decision of 11 December 2017. The Council of Europe is not to be confused with the Council of the European Union (the "Council of Ministers") or the European Council. The European Council. The withdrawal agreement entered into force on 31 January 2020. The Council is an essential EU decision-maker. All 47 Member States of the Council, including the UK, have signed the Convention. It is the EU institution that sets out the EU’s political direction and priorities. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission. The European Council, formed by the heads of state or government of the Member States, provides the necessary impetus for the development of the European Union and sets out the general political guidelines.