1 / 16

Chapter 9 The Council of the European Union

Chapter 9 The Council of the European Union. Chapter by Jeffrey Lewis Cini & Pérez-Solórzano Borragán European Union Politics, 3 rd edition. Chapter 9 Slide 2. Lecture Plan. Overview and key features of the Council Institutional structure European Council Ministers’ Councils COREPER

nigel-tillman
Download Presentation

Chapter 9 The Council of the European Union

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Chapter 9The Council of the European Union Chapter by Jeffrey Lewis Cini & Pérez-Solórzano Borragán European Union Politics, 3rd edition

  2. Chapter 9 Slide 2 Lecture Plan • Overview and key features of the Council • Institutional structure • European Council • Ministers’ Councils • COREPER • Working Groups • Council Secretariat General • Changes and challenges

  3. Chapter 9 Slide 3 Overview (1) • EU Council / Council of Ministers / Council • The centre of EU decision making • Must approve all EU proposals • National ministers authorised to adopt legislation • Directs integration process • Fundamental role of European Council

  4. Chapter 9 Slide 3 Overview (2) • The “Council” • Different Council formation for each policy sector • Each formation has distinct agenda & culture • Most senior formation: GAERC • General Affairs and External Relations Council • Foreign Affairs ministers • Key features • Rotating presidency • Intergovernmental and supranational • Forum to represent national interests • Collective decision making & consensus seeking

  5. Chapter 9 Slide 5 Rotating Presidency • Key features • Rotates every six months • Powerful position for state holding Presidency • “Presidency trio” • Responsibilities include • Planning, scheduling • Council meetings, European Council, COREPER & working groups • External voice of EU

  6. Chapter 9 Slide 6 Relationship with other Institutions • Council - Commission • Provides the fundamental dynamic of integration • At times strained • e.g. “empty chair crisis” • At times successful • e.g. development of Single Market • Council – European Parliament • Increased interaction due to codecision procedure • Establishment of new intra-institutional dynamic

  7. Chapter 9 Slide 7 Structure of the Council • Conventional description • European Council • 27 Heads of state and Commission President • Ministerial level • GAERC & ECOFIN as primer inter pares • COREPER • Committee of Permanent Representatives • Working groups • This is a rough reflection of reality

  8. Chapter 9 Slide 8 European Council Summitry • Highest political authority in the EU • Created early 1970s • Formally institutionalised 1974 • Legally recognised with SEA (1986) • Key features • Motor of “history making” moments in the EU • Leaders discuss highly politically charged issues • Summits provide direction for integration • “Presidency conclusions”

  9. Chapter 9 Slide 9 Ministers’ Councils (1) • Key features • Different Council formation for different sector • Ministers commit to new legislation • Monthly meetings (approx.) • More frequent meetings for GAERC, ECOFIN and AGFISH • 1st pillar: Ministers adopt directives, regulations and declarations • 2nd and 3rd pillars: via joint action with EP • Large and busy meetings

  10. Chapter 9 Slide 10 Ministers’ Councils (2) • Decision making • Voting rare due to culture of consensus seeking • Unanimity (abstention ≠ no) • QMV- triple majority (Treaty of Nice) • QMV- double majority (Treaty of Lisbon) • Agenda • Part A (A points): no discussion, just approval required • Part B (B points): discussion required

  11. Chapter 9 Slide 11 COREPER (1) • Key features • COREPER I and COREPER II (independent) • Permanent representatives provide continuity • Prepares Ministers’ Councils • No formal decision making power (NB A points) • Weekly meetings; many confidential • Negotiates all areas of EU business • Mixture of intergovernmental and supranational

  12. Chapter 9 Slide 12 COREPER (2) • COREPER I • Deputy Permanent Representatives • Preparation of technical Councils • COREPER II • Permanent Representatives (Ambassadors) • Preparation of GAERC, and institutional and financial Councils

  13. Chapter 9 Slide 13 Working Groups • Key features • National officials and specialists • Either permanent or ad hoc groups • “Workhouse” of the Council • Site of initial negotiation of new proposal/issue • Concerned with technical (not political) detail

  14. Chapter 9 Slide 14 Council General Secretariat (CGS) • Key features • Vital administrative role, including linguistic service • Headed by Secretary General (SG) & Deputy • SG usually holds long tenure → important continuity • Includes “A grade” policy making positions • SG → High Representative of CFSP (1999) • → Increased role for DSG in COREPER II

  15. Chapter 9 Slide 15 Institutional Evolution & Challenges • Inefficient system • Created for six members, not EU27 • Larger agenda → more A points to “rubber stamp” • Democratic deficit • Confidentiality allows for effective deal brokering • But Council lacks credibility • Differentiation • Diversity of division? • Enlargement • Potential change in Council dynamic

  16. Chapter 9 Slide 16 Lecture review • Council as main decision making body • Principal institution to promote national interests • Mixture of intergovernmental & supranational • Institutional challenges → reform

More Related