Also known informally as the EU Council, it is where national ministers from each EU country meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies. Europa.eusays the following about the European Commission: “(It) promotes the general interest of the EUby proposing and enforcing legislation as well as by implementing policies and the EU budget.” The Council adopts the EU budget together with the Parliament. It represents the highest level of political cooperation between EU countries. In these cases, the Council legislates on the basis of proposals submitted by the European Commission. You can get in contact to arrange a visit, ask questions about the work of both institutions, and request a document, among other services. There are 47 members of the CoE compared to the EU’s 28. European Union (EU), international organization comprising 27 European countries and governing common economic, social, and security policies. The new directive – adopted in April 2009 – is the outcome of an intense legislative process that took place throughout 2008. 15 of the EU Treaty[1] it determines the common political orientations and priorities of the EU. Recent research by the European Council on Foreign Relations suggests the U.K. won’t be able to airbrush Europe out so easily. The Council is a key EU decision-maker. It includes 47 member states, 28 … By kings I mean heads of national states and governments. Committees and working parties handle the preparatory work on files before they are discussed at Council meetings. It is usually adopted in December and starts running on 1 January the following year. Among other things, the President represents the EU to the outside world. The European Council has a number of important functions: It decides on the political and policy direction of the EU. Similar to how the U.N. was organized, in order to ensure a peaceful and more harmonious world, the Council of Europe (CoE) and European Union (EU) are two distinct bodies that were created for Europe and its member nations to prosper. The Council consists of a government minister from each member state. You can put general questions about the European Council's work to its Public Information Service. It is one of three legislative bodies and together with the European Parliament serves to amend and approve the proposals of the European Commission, which holds legislative initiative. Certain cookies are used to obtain aggregated statistics about website visits to help us constantly improve the site and better serve your needs. The European Council’s tasks are clearly defined in the Treaty on European Union (Article 15). The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) protects the human rights of people in countries that belong to the Council of Europe. Press officers speak 'off the record' about the Council's activities. The Council provides the mandate to the Commission to negotiate on behalf of the EU agreements between the EU and non-EU countries and international organisations. The Council of Europe is the continent's leading human rights organisation. Council and European Council documents are made available through the public register, in accordance with EU rules on transparency. Together, they debate and adopt legislative proposals prepared by the executive. European works councils (EWCs) are standing bodies that facilitate the information and consultation of employees in European companies and European groups of companies, as required by the 1994 European Works Council Directive (Directive 94/45/EC, updated by Directive 2009/38/EC (Recast)). The European Council brings together EU leaders to set the EU's political agenda. The Council of the EU and the European Council work on a wide range of issues affecting the interests of the EU and its citizens. The European Council brings together EU leaders at least four times a year. It meets at least four times each year, but more often when necessary. It helps organise and ensure the coherence of the Council's work and the implementation of its 18-month programme. It consists of the heads of state or government of the member states, together with its President and the President of the Commission. The European Council is the highest decision-making body of the EU, in accordance with Art. It represents the highest level of political cooperation between EU countries. Read more about the role of the European Council, Council's Rules of Procedure and comments on Council's Rules of Procedure, Sources of information on the European Council and the Council, economic and fiscal policies: The Council coordinates member states' economic and fiscal policies to strengthen economic governance in the EU, monitors their budgetary policies and strengthens the EU's fiscal framework, and also deals with the legal and practical aspects of the euro, financial markets and capital movements, education, culture, youth and sport: The Council adopts EU policy frameworks and work plans in these areas which set out the priorities for cooperation between member states and the Commission, employment policy: The Council draws up annual guidelines and recommendations for member states, based on European Council conclusions on the EU employment situation. These agreements may cover broad areas, such as trade, cooperation and development, or they may deal with specific subjects such as textiles, fisheries, customs, transport, science and technology, etc. The members of the European Council are the 27 Presidents and Prime Ministers of the member states and the President of the European Commission. It is convened and chaired by its President, who is elected by the European Council itself for a once-renewable two-and-a-half-year term. The European Council is the EU’s key strategic and crisis-solving body, and the most senior of the seven EU institutions. Meaning of European Council. The EU’s common currency is the euro. The European Council is made up of the heads of state or government of all EU countries, the European Council President, and the European Commission President. The Council of Ministers of the EU is one of the EU's two legislative chambers, the other being the European parliament. The Council of the EU meets in different configurations depending on the topic discussed. [MUSIC] The European Council is the major European political institution and it can be seen as the assembly of the kings of Europe. Ahead of the 21-22 March European Council discussion on innovation, industry and competitiveness, the Commission takes decisive steps to set up a European Innovation Council. Council of the European Union – Presidency. It usually meets 4 times a year – but the President can convene additional meetings to address urgent issues. European Union vs Council of Europe. The European Council can also be seen as the institution where the power lies. Together with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council ensures the unity, consistency and effectiveness of the EU's external action. The other three are the Court of Justice, the Council of the European Union, and the European Parliament. 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