The Council of the European Union
Also informally known as the EU Council, this is where national ministers from each
EU country meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies.
Not to be confused with:
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European Council – another EU institution,
where EU leaders meet around 4 times a year
to discuss the EU’s political priorities
Council of Europe – not an EU body at all.
What does it do?
1. Passes EU laws.
2. Coordinates the broad economic policies of EU
member countries.
3. Signs agreements between the EU and other
countries.
4. Approves the annual EU budget
5. Develops the EU's foreign and defence
policies.
6. Coordinates cooperation between courts and
police forces of member countries.
1. Passing EU laws
The Council and Parliament share the final say on new EU laws proposed by the
Commission.
2. Coordinating economic policies
EU member countries have decided they want an overall economic policy for
Europe, coordinated by the economics and finance ministers of each country.
A further objective is to create more jobs and improve education, healthcare and
welfare systems. Although each country is responsible for its own policy, they can
agree on common goals and learn from each other’s experience.
3. Signing international agreements
The Council signs agreements on behalf of the EU – on subjects as diverse as the
environment, trade, development, textiles, fisheries, science, technology and
transport.
4. Approving the EU budget
The money the EU can spend every year is decided jointly by the Council and the
European Parliament.
5. Foreign and defence policy
National governments have independent control in these areas, but are working
together to develop a joint foreign and defence policy (known as the 'Common
Foreign and Security Policy'). The Council is the main forum for this cooperation.
The EU does not have an army. But to help it respond more quickly to international
conflicts and natural disasters, some EU countries provide troops for a rapid reaction
force, whose role is limited to humanitarian work, rescues and peace-keeping.
6. Justice
EU citizens should have equal access to justice anywhere in the EU. In the Council,
justice ministers strive to ensure that court judgements in one EU country – on
divorce cases, for instance – are recognised in all other EU countries.
Justice and interior ministers coordinate the policing of the EU’s external borders,
and the fight against terrorism and international organised crime.
Who are the members of the Council?
There are no fixed members as such. At each Council meeting, each country sends
the minister for the policy field being discussed – e.g. the environment minister for
the meeting dealing with environmental matters. That meeting will then be known as
the "Environment Council".
Who chairs the meetings?
The foreign ministers’ Council has a permanent chairperson – the EU's High
Representative for foreign and security policy.
All other Council meetings are chaired by the relevant minister of the country holding
the rotating EU presidency.
For example, any environment Council meeting in the period when Estonia holds the
presidency will be chaired by the Estonian environment minister.
Voting
Decisions in the Council of the EU are taken by qualified majority as a general rule.
The bigger a country’s population, the more votes it has, but in fact the numbers are
weighted in favour of the less populous countries:
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Germany, France, Italy and the United
Kingdom: 29 votes
Spain and Poland: 27
Romania: 14
Netherlands: 13
Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary
and Portugal: 12
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Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden: 10
Croatia, Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia
and Finland: 7
Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg and
Slovenia: 4
Malta: 3
TOTAL: 352
When the Council votes, 'qualified majority voting' applies. A qualified majority is
reached when:
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a majority (sometimes even two thirds) of the
28 EU countries vote in favour
at least 260 of the possible 352 votes are cast
Furthermore, a member country can ask for a check to see whether the majority
represents minimum 62% of the total population. If this is not the case, the proposal
cannot be adopted.
In votes concerning sensitive topics - like security and external affairs and taxation decisions by the Council have to be unanimous. This means that one single country
can veto a decision.
From 2014 a system known as 'double majority voting' will be introduced.
For a proposal to go through, it will need the support of 2 types of majority: a majority
of countries (at least 15) and a majority of the total EU population (the countries in
favour must represent at least 65% of the EU population).