The Council of the European Union

The Council of the European Union (also known as the Council of Ministers) is the EU's main decision-making body. Like the European Parliament, the Council was set up by the founding treaties in the 1950s. It represents the member states, and its meetings are attended by one minister from each of the EU's national governments. Every six month a new president is alected.

Altogether there are nine different Council configurations.

- General Affairs and External Relations

- Economic and Financial Affairs (Ecofin)

- Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)

- Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs

- Competitiveness

- Transport, Telecommunications and Energy

- Agriculture and Fisheries

- Environment

- Education, Youth and Culture

The Council has six key responsibilities.

1.To pass European laws -- jointly with the European Parliament in many policy areas.

2.To coordinate the broad economic and social policies of the member states.

3.To conclude international agreements between the EU and other countries or international organisations.

4.To approve the EU's budget, jointly with the European Parliament.

5.To develop the EU's common foreign and security policy, based on guidelines set by the European Council.

6.To coordinate cooperation between the national courts and police forces in criminal matters.

Decisions in the Council are taken by vote. The bigger the country's