European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
ECOS
Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders, 21-22 March 2019
On 21 and 22 March 2019, the European Council was due to focus primarily on economic, single market and climate change issues, as well as on external relations and disinformation. Continue reading
Outcome of the meetings of EU Heads of State or Government, 13-14 December 2018
The meetings of EU Heads of State or Government that took place on 13-14 December 2018 dealt with a more extensive agenda than originally planned. Continue reading
Outlook for the European Council and Euro Summit, 13-14 December 2018
On 13 and 14 December, EU Heads of State or Government will hold their last meeting of 2018. Their discussions will mainly focus on the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the single market and migration. Continue reading
Outcome of the special European Council (Article 50), 25 November 2018
On 25 November 2018, EU-27 leaders met to finalise and formalise the outcome of the Brexit negotiations. They endorsed the withdrawal agreement, as presented by the negotiators of the EU and the United Kingdom (UK), and approved the political declaration on future EU-UK relations, accompanying the withdrawal agreement. Continue reading
Relations between the European Council and the European Parliament
The most notable change in the European Union’s institutional architecture since the beginning of the European project was the launch in 1975 of the European Council, which became a formal institution in 2009. Continue reading
Outlook for the special European Council (Article 50), 25 November 2018
On 25 November 2018, EU Heads of State or Government are scheduled to meet for a special European Council to endorse the Brexit withdrawal agreement and approve a political declaration on future EU-UK relations accompanying the withdrawal agreement. Continue reading
Outcome of the meetings of EU Heads of State or Government, 17-18 October 2018
Although Brexit was the most anticipated point on the agenda, the European Council (Article 50) meeting of 17 October 2018 did not make any significant progress towards finalising a withdrawal agreement; nor did it decide to hold a special meeting on Brexit in November. Continue reading
Outlook for the meetings of EU Heads of State or Government, 17-18 October 2018
As has become the norm with European Council meetings, EU Heads of State or Government will convene on 17 and 18 October 2018 in different formats with varying compositions and levels of formality: a regular meeting of the European Council, and an enlarged Euro Summit of 27 Member States on 18 October, preceded by a European Council (Article 50) meeting on the 17 October over dinner. Continue reading
European Council: Facts and Figures
The European Council is one of the most important European Institutions and receives a lot of media attention when it meets. However, many aspects of this institution are less well known, and citizens ask themselves who are the Members of the European Council, since when does the European Council exist and how did its role evolve and the number and type of participants change over time. Continue reading
Outcome of the meetings of EU leaders on 28-29 June 2018
High expectations had built up before the June European Council meeting, in particular on migration. Prior to the meeting, the European Council President, Donald Tusk, had said that ‘the stakes are very high. And time is short. Continue reading
The European Council in 2017: Overview of decisions and discussions
For the first year in almost a decade, the European Council was not in crisis mode in 2017. Throughout the year, the political and economic situation in the European Union (EU) improved markedly. Continue reading
Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders, 28-29 June 2018
Expectations are high for the meetings of EU Heads of State or Government on 28 and 29 June 2018, as important decisions are required on several policy topics, including the reform of the euro area and the revision of the Dublin Regulation. Whether concrete results will emerge from this meeting on any, or all, of the controversial topics remains to be seen. Continue reading
Future of Europe debates III: Parliament hosts Heads of State or Government
Against the background of the many challenges which the European Union has faced in recent years, the European Parliament has taken the lead in launching and hosting a series of high-profile debates on the Future of Europe, intended to run for the whole of 2018. Continue reading
From Rome to Sibiu
Analysis shows that in the year since the Rome Declaration, and a year before the special summit on the Future of Europe debate, due to take place in the Romanian city of Sibiu on 9 May 2019, substantive progress has been made regarding the debate itself and implementation of the policy priorities identified in the Bratislava Declaration/Roadmap and the Rome Declaration. Continue reading
Outcome of the EU leaders’ meetings on 22 and 23 March 2018
On 22 and 23 March 2018, the EU Heads of State or Government convened in four different formations with varying compositions and levels of formality: a regular meeting of the European Council, a Leaders’ Meeting on taxation, a Euro Summit and a European Council (Article 50) meeting. Continue reading
Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders on 22-23 March 2018
On 22 and 23 March 2018, the EU Heads of State or Government will convene in four different formations with varying compositions and levels of formality: a regular meeting of the European Council, a Leaders’ meeting on taxation, a Euro Summit and a European Council (Article 50) meeting. Continue reading
Outcome of the informal meeting of the 27 Heads of State or Government of 23 February 2018
At an informal meeting on 23 February 2018, 27 Heads of State or Government (the UK did not take part as the discussion were future oriented) discussed two major topics: institutional issues, in particular the future composition of the European Parliament and high-level EU appointments, including the Spitzenkandidaten process, on the one hand, and the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), on the other. Continue reading
Euro Summits: Role and expectations ahead of the meeting of 15 December 2017
Since 2008, Euro Summits have brought together the Heads of State or Government of those countries whose currency is the euro, providing policy guidance to assure the smooth functioning of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the euro area. Continue reading
Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders on 14-15 December 2017
On 14 and 15 December 2017, EU leaders will convene in four different settings with varying compositions and levels of formality: a regular summit of the European Council, a Leaders’ meeting on migration, a European Council (Article 50) meeting, and an enlarged Euro Summit. Continue reading
Outcome of the European Council meeting on 19-20 October 2017 and the European Council (Article 50) meeting on 20 October 2017
The principal result of the European Council meeting of 19-20 October 2017 was the endorsement of the ’Leaders’ Agenda’ setting out the main issues and work-plan for the European Council up to June 2019. Continue reading
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