Council of the European Union

The Council of the European Union (formerly known as the Council of Ministers) is the political arm of the European Union, and operates in accordance with the Treaties. Its senior group is the European Council, which consists of Heads of State (i.e. Prime Ministers, Presidents, etcetera) of each member state and is responsible for agreeing on the terms of Treaties such as Maastricht or Amsterdam.

This structure is echoed in a range of other Councils which are composed of Ministers from the member states, including the Agriculture Council, the Budget Council, the Environment Council, the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, the General Affairs Council, the Industry Council and the Transport Council. These high-level politicians represent the views of the governments of their countries in any negotiations (and “horse trading”) that may be necessary on the content of future legislation.

The Ministers who attend the meetings of the various Councils are supported by high-level civil servants who prepare the ground for their deliberations and decisions.

The Council is the legislative body of the European Community, and for many issues (including the internal market, consumer protection, trans-European networks, education and health) it operates on a co-decision basis with the European Parliament.

The Council also coordinates the general economic policies of the member states, coordinates agreements with non-member states and international organisations, and defines and implements the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

For further information, visit the Council of the European Union Web site.