The Council of Europe, another institution distinct from the European Council, is an international organisation outside the European Union, which deals with education, culture and above all the protection of human rights. It currently has 46 Members.

 

 

 

 « The European Council shall provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and shall define the general political guidelines thereof »
(Article 4 of the Treaty on European Union)

The European Council gathers together the Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the European Union and the President of the Commission. It came into being in 1974 and was given formal status by the Single European Act.

Its members are assisted by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and by a Member of the Commission. The European Council meets at least once every six months under the chairmanship of the Head of State or Government of the Member State which holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which rotates twice a year. In practice, the European Council meets at least four times a year, and special European Councils are also organised as circumstances demand. Since 2000, in accordance with the Lisbon strategy, the March Council addresses economic, social and environmental issues. Presidency conclusions are published after each meeting.

The European Council provides the impetus for the major political issues relating to European integration: amendments to the Treaties and changes to the institutions, declarations on external relations in the context of the common foreign and security policy, etc. It also serves as a forum for top-level political discussion in crisis situations and it endeavours to resolve disagreements between Member States. Following negotiations between the Member States, the European Council, on a consensus basis, can issue:

• guidelines setting out the European Council's priorities relating to management of the Union and its common policies by the Council of Ministers and the European Commission. They sometimes take the form of general policy guidelines and determine the timescale and specific objectives;
• declarations or resolutions: they express the views of the Heads of State or Governments on a specific point.

The primary function of the European Council, then, is to give the general impetus and social, economic and political guidance in all areas of European Union activities at both European and national levels. But its guidelines and declarations are not legally binding. To be put into effect, they must follow the routine procedure for Community legal instruments: proposals from the European Commission voted on by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, followed where necessary by implementation at national level.

The role played by the European Council is crucial but differs from that of the Council of the European Union, whose members are Ministers from the Member States. The Council of the European Union exercises the powers conferred on it by the Treaty subject to review by the European Court of Justice, and it adopts Community legal instruments.

The Council of Europe, another institution distinct from the European Council, is an international organisation outside the European Union, which deals with education, culture and above all the protection of human rights. It currently has 46 Members.