lecture 5 - the Council Flashcards
The Council
=
- The Council of the European Union
- Council of Ministers
- the Council
represents EU member states
Art.9c: Council (with EP) exercises legislative and budgetary functions, policy-making and coordinating functions as in the Treaties
what does the Council do?
- negotiate and adopt EU law (usually with the EP) = co-legislator
- coordinates member states policies (e.g. youth, education, culture)
- develop EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (executive)
- conclude international agreements (mandate, signature, final decision)
- adopts the EU budget (-> member states have decision in budget)
hierarchy within the Council
- Council of the European Union (27 member states ministers)
- COREPER II and I (ambassadors + deputy ambassadors)
- Council working groups (national specialist)
- ‘‘youngest’’ professionals
= MS’ permanent representation\
- in between 2 and 3: few specialised committees
10 configurations of the Council
- general affairs
- foreign affairs
- economic and financial affairs
- justice and home affairs
- employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs
- competitiveness (internal market, industry, research, and space)
- transport, telecommunications, and energy
- agriculture and fisheries
- environment
- education, youth, culture and sport
still: it is one council (-> same authority: all configurations can make decisions on all topics)
General Affairs Council
GAC
- prepares and follows-up European Council meetings
- general coordination of policies
- institutional and administrative questions
- horizontal dossiers affecting more than one Union policy (e.g. MFF)
- any dossier sent by the European Council
- ensures consistency in the work of all Council configurations in cooperation with the European Commission
= ministers of foreign affairs or European affairs (if they can’t -> people from permanent representation)
!always also representatives form the European Commission: they discuss, but don’t vote
Foreign Affairs Council
FAC
= foreign affairs ministers
Chaired by the HRVP, except when discussion is on trade (then: rotating presidency)
*all other council configurations are chaired by rotating presidency
Deals with EU’s external relations (+ ensures consistency)
- Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
- Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP)
- Common Commercial Policy (CCP)
- Development and Humanitarian Aid
!! there can be tensions between these interests
Council presidency
= rotating every 6 months
- tasks: chairs council meetings (except FAC (has semi-permanent elected HRVP and EEAS))
- responsibility: everyday functioning council
!no single president: presidency is shared by whole gov. of a MS, it can emphasize its own priorities
!!rotating presidency is shared: trio seat/shared presidency: 1.5 years common agenda (mix = size and location)
main roles:
- organizational role (supported by the Council Secretariat General)
- Secretariat General (or his/her representative) sits next to the chair - Broker role: presidency should not push for own agenda, should facilitate consensus
- Leadership role: 6 month working plan, Trio-presidency multi-annual program
- external representation: towards EP, Commission and ‘‘outside world’’
Committees and working groups
= working level
COREPER II (most senior)
(preparation by ANTICI-group)
- General Affairs and External Relations
- Economy and Finances
- Justice and Home Affairs
COREPER I (more junior)
(preparation by MERTENS-group)
- employment
- social policy
- health
- consumer protection
- competitiveness
- youth
- sports
- environment
- agriculture
- energy
- etc.
> 260 committees and working groups / working parties
4 important ones:
- Political and Security Committee (PSC)
- Trade Policy Committee (TPC)
- Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA)
- Economic and Finance Committee
Voting and Decisions within the Council
- QMV unless treaty provides otherwise
= complicated calculation)
common foreign and security policy not done with QMV
QMV
at least 55% Council Members & at least 15 MS representing at least 65% of the EU population
- blocking minority must include at least 4 Council Members
moving of ‘dossiers’
- Commission Proposal
- working group(s)
- COREPER I or II
-> marks resolved issues as A points
-> marks unresolved issues as B points - Council of Ministers
*between step 2 and 3 = Committee
! don’t underestimate lower decision-making levels: working groups are crucial (-> lots of lobbying there)
- e.g. bad reputation if you debate A points
important to remember
- the Council is the representation of Member States
- it is often thought of as an intergovernmental institution
- it negotiates and adopts EU law (with the EP), coordinates member states policies, develops CFSP, concludes international agreements and adopts EU budget
- Council has 10 formations
- Presidency in most areas is rotating
