European Council

E11565

The European Council is an EU institution that brings together the heads of state or government of member countries to define the European Union’s overall political direction and priorities.

All labels observed (15)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf European Union institution
supranational political body
adopts conclusions at the end of meetings
appoints High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
President of the European Commission
President of the European Council as chair
surface form: President of the European Council
articleReference Treaty on European Union
surface form: Article 15 of the Treaty on European Union
becameFormalEUInstitutionIn 2009
canDecideBy qualified majority in specific cases
country European Union
decidesBy consensus in most cases
decisionMakingMode intergovernmental
defines general priorities of the European Union
overall political direction of the European Union
doesNotExercise formal law‑making powers
legislative functions
establishedBy Treaty of Lisbon
formedIn 1974
hasAbbreviation EUCO
hasMember President of the European Commission
President of the European Council
heads of state or government of EU member states
hasNo budgetary authority
direct legislative initiative
hasNonVotingParticipant High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
hasOfficialLanguage all official languages of the European Union
hasTypeOfMembership one member per EU member state
includes President of the European Council as chair
isDistinctFrom Council of Europe
Council of the European Union
legalBasis Treaty on European Union
locatedIn Belgium
Brussels, Belgium
surface form: Brussels
mayHold extraordinary meetings
meetsAt Europa building
meetsFrequency at least four times a year
partOf institutional framework of the European Union
predecessor summits of heads of state or government of the European Communities
proposes candidate for President of the European Commission to the European Parliament
recognizedAsInstitutionBy Treaty of Lisbon
roleInCFSP defines general political directions and priorities of the Common Foreign and Security Policy
roleInEMU provides strategic guidance for Economic and Monetary Union
sets strategic agenda of the European Union
usesWorkingLanguage English
French
German
website https://www.consilium.europa.eu/european-council/

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (115)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

President of the European Council partOf European Council
HR/VP memberOfBody European Council
this entity surface form: European Council (when foreign affairs are discussed)
HR/VP appointedBy European Council
HR/VP reportsTo European Council
Josep Borrell appointedBy European Council
Herman Van Rompuy appointedBy European Council
Federica Mogherini appointedBy European Council
European Monetary Institute supervisedBy European Council
Residence Palace houses European Council
subject surface form: Europa building
Prime Minister of Bulgaria participatesIn European Council
this entity surface form: European Council (when Bulgaria is represented at heads of government level)