Cercare

The European Council consists of the Heads of State or Government of the 27 EU Member States, as well as the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission. It became a formal European Union (EU) institution with a full-time President in 2009, with the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. Although it does not include legislative functions, the European Council's role – to 'provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development' and to define its 'general ...

The last formal European Council meeting under the presidency of Charles Michel had an exceptionally full agenda, covered in only a day. The most prominent topic was migration, with EU leaders agreeing on comprehensive conclusions, marking a shift in the European Council's approach to the issue. Strong emphasis was put on fighting the instrumentalisation of migrants and on increasing returns. Other core agenda points were Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presenting his 'victory plan', ...

The EU's priorities for the 5-year institutional cycle are outlined in the European Council's Strategic Agenda. Subsequently, the European Commission sets its priorities in the president's political guidelines, which are a first step in operationalising the EU priorities outlined in the Strategic Agenda. These priorities will then be translated into concrete initiatives included in the Commission's annual work programmes, before being submitted to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU ...

The European Council consists of the 27 Heads of State or Government of the EU Member States, who are voting members, together with the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission, who have no vote (Article 15(2) Treaty on European Union). The chart shows the current members, the national office they hold, their most recent European political affiliation, and the year their membership began.

The provisional agenda for the 17-18 October European Council meeting has three main topics. First, EU Heads of State or Government will address Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and the EU's support to Ukraine and its people. Second, they will consider the situation in the Middle East, amid concerns over regional escalation following Israel's targeting of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran's missile strikes on Israel. Third, EU leaders will discuss competitiveness, with a first exchange on ...

The EU's leaders took two crucial decisions at their summit on 27 June to set the framework for the new institutional cycle: one on high-level appointments, the other on the Union's political priorities for the next 5 years, the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029. Since the adoption of the previous edition of the EU's long-term priorities in 2019, the EU has had to face major crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy crisis, and the change in the security environment following Russia's full-scale ...

The European Council took two important decisions on 27 June for the new institutional cycle: one on the EU's institutional leadership, the other on the EU's political priorities for the next five years. EU leaders elected António Costa as the next European Council President, proposed Ursula von der Leyen as the candidate for Commission President, and nominated Kaja Kallas as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. They also adopted conclusions on Ukraine, the Middle ...

Resolutions are an essential way for the European Parliament to express its views on political processes, EU policies and developments in the world. Parliament also uses them to scrutinise other EU institutions, including the European Council. The need for accountability and increased scrutiny of the European Council has been a constant theme in the European Parliament's resolutions throughout the 2019-2024 legislative term. The increased need to scrutinise the European Council also results from ...

The European Council meeting on 27–28 June 2024 has a full agenda. As the current EU institutional cycle draws to a close, it marks a critical moment in launching the new cycle. EU leaders will discuss, and likely agree on, high-level appointments to EU institutions, including on the proposed candidate for European Commission President. They are also set to adopt the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029, outlining the EU's political priorities for the coming five years. They will also discuss Ukraine, security ...

On 17 June, the European Council members met for an informal dinner to discuss the results of the 2024 European Parliament elections and possible candidates for the leadership positions in the coming EU institutional cycle. The Heads of State or Government did not come to any decision on the appointments, and indeed they were not due to take any formal decision at this stage in the procedure. High-level discussions will now take place between the European Council and the European Parliament, as well ...