The European Council

Posted by Jane Lee

The European Council is an official institution of the European Union, mentioned by the Lisbon Treaty as a body which “shall provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development.” The European Council usually meets four times a year and includes the heads of government of EU member states, a President and the President of the EU Commission. Meetings are chaired by the President, a position currently held by Herman Van Rompuy.

The first Councils were held in 1961 in an informal settings of summits comprised of the European Community. These meetings were only formalized in the period between 1974 and 1988. The European Council was distinguished as a formal institution of the EU in the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon.

Though the European Council has no formal legislative power, it deals with major issues and any decisions it makes are “a major impetus in defining the general political guidelines of the European Union”. It outlines the EU’s policy agenda and has also developed further roles including the settlement of “issues outstanding from discussions at a lower level”, leadership in foreign policy, “formal ratification of important documents” and “involvement in the negotiation of the treaty changes.” In addition it exercises the some executive powers which include the appointment of its own President, the President of the European Commission, and the High Representative.

Our class is interested in learning about the European Council because as an institution within the EU, it plays one of the key roles upholding the EU’s structure. With its distinctive power and contributions to the system, the Council provides critical political leadership to the EU. It is important to our understanding of the EU system that we understand its specific branches and their impact on the international society.

To help us learn more about the European Council, we will be meeting with Mr. Alexis Loeber and Mr. Didier Cosse.