European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
Council of the European Union
Priority dossiers under the Portuguese EU Council Presidency
Portugal is a democratic republic with a unitary semi-presidential system of government, whereby the Prime Minister of Portugal is the head of government. The current Prime Minister is António Luís Santos da Costa, from the Socialist Party, and a former MEP who was a Vice-President of the European Parliament between July 2004 and March 2005. Continue reading
Outcome of the meetings of EU leaders on 10 and 11 December 2020
On Thursday 10 and Friday 11 December 2020, the European Council agreed on clarifications to the rule-of-law conditionality mechanism, which pave the way for the adoption of the Multiannual Financial Framework and the Next Generation EU recovery fund. Continue reading
Key issues in the European Council: State of play in December 2020
Established as an informal summit meeting in 1975, the European Council became a formal European Union institution, with a full-time President, in 2009, on the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. Continue reading
Outlook for the special European Council meeting of 17-18 July 2020
Based on an updated ‘negotiating box’ presented by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, on 10 July, the special meeting of the European Council on 17-18 July will aim at finding a political agreement on the EU recovery fund, entitled ‘Next Generation EU’, and the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the 2021-27 seven-year financing period. Continue reading
Priority dossiers under the German EU Council Presidency
This note looks at the legislative and political projects, which could feature predominantly during the German Presidency. Continue reading
The European Council, health policy and pandemics
The European Council (of EU Heads of State or Government) has been active in its response to the coronaviru s crisis. So far it has held three video-conference calls of national leaders on the subject, with a view to seeking to develop a coordinated response both among the Member States and collectively at EU level. Continue reading
Outcome of the video-conference call of EU Heads of State or Government on 17 March 2020
‘The EU is facing a serious and exceptional crisis, in terms of magnitude and nature’. This was the main message from the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, after EU leaders held a three-hour-long video-conference to discuss the COVID-19 outbreak. Continue reading
The European Council and the 2021-27 Multiannual Financial Framework
EU Heads of State or Government will meet on 20 February 2020 for a special European Council meeting to discuss the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). Both the Sibiu Declaration of EU Heads of State or Government and the 2019-24 Strategic Agenda state that ‘the EU must give itself the means to match its ambitions, attain its objectives and carry through its policies’. Continue reading
Priority dossiers under the Croatian EU Council Presidency
For the first time since joining the European Union in 2013, Croatia will hold the rotating Council Presidency from 1 January to 30 June 2020. Continue reading
Council of the European Union: Facts and Figures
The Council of the European Union – often referred to as the Council of Ministers, or simply the Council – forms one part of the legislature and the budgetary authority of the Union. Continue reading
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
Priority dossiers under the Romanian EU Council Presidency
Romania will hold the EU Council Presidency from January to July 2019. Its Presidency comes at the end of the European Parliament’s current legislative term, with European elections taking place on 23-26 May 2019. Continue reading
Priority Dossiers under the Austrian EU Council Presidency
Austria will hold the EU Council Presidency from July to December 2018. Its presidency comes at the end of the Trio Presidency composed of Estonia, Bulgaria and Austria. The last time Austria held the Council Presidency was in 2006. Continue reading
Priority dossiers under the Bulgarian EU Council Presidency
Bulgaria will hold the EU Council Presidency from January to June 2018. Its Presidency is part of the Trio Presidency composed of Estonia, Bulgaria and Austria. This will be the first time Bulgaria has held the rotating presidency since it joined the EU in 2007. Continue reading
Priority dossiers under the Estonian EU Council Presidency
Written by Lucienne Attard (The Directorate-General for the Presidency), Estonia will hold the EU Council Presidency from July to December 2017. Its presidency will herald a new Trio Presidency, composed of Estonia, Bulgaria and Austria. This will be the first time Estonia holds the rotating presidency. Estonia is currently led by a government coalition consisting … Continue reading
Slovakia to take over Council of the EU Presidency – 1 July 2016
Written by Dora Boytha (Office of the Deputy Secretary-General), On 1 July 2016, Slovakia will take over the six-month rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU from The Netherlands, as part of the Dutch-Slovak-Maltese ‘Trio Presidency’. The Slovak “coalition of historic compromise” was only sworn in on 23 March 2016 and Prime Minister Robert … Continue reading
Changed rules for qualified majority voting in the Council of the EU
Written by Eva-Maria Poptcheva and Conall Devaney From 1 November 2014, decisions in the Council of the EU (Council of Ministers) requiring a ‘qualified majority’ are adopted by means of the new ‘double majority’. The change lowers the threshold required for adoption by Council, and is intended to increase the speed and efficiency of Council … Continue reading
In Focus: EU institutions
Written by Nicole Zandi Since the European Parliament elections in May and the new Commission taking office in November; an atmosphere of change in the EU institutions has highlighted 2014 as an important year. So far we have seen widespread aspirations to create a more balanced, fairer and transparent EU, which is perhaps a good … Continue reading
Discharge to the Council and European Council
6 language versions available in PDF format Entlastung für den Rat der Europäischen Union und den Europäischen Rat Aprobación de la gestión del Consejo y del Consejo Europeo La décharge au Conseil et au Conseil européen Discarico al Consiglio e al Consiglio europeo Absolutorium dla Rady i Rady Europejskiej Discharge to the Council and European … Continue reading
Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU
From 1 July 2013 Lithuania is taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Ireland and will hold it until January 2014, when the Presidency will be passed to Greece. The Declaration of Cooperation among the Houses of the Parliaments of Ireland, Lithuania and Greece in support of the preparation and fulfilment of the … Continue reading
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