Editing European Council

{{short description|EU institution}}
{{distinguish|Council of the European Union|Council of Europe}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{infobox organization
| name         = European Council
| type         = [[Institution of the European Union]]
| image        = [[File:Council of the European Union.svg|200px]]
| formation    = {{ubl|{{start date and age|df=y|1961}} {{small|(informal)}}|{{start date and age|df=y|2009}} {{small|(formal)}}}}
| language     = [[Languages of the European Union|24 languages]]<br />2 main official languages:<br />{{hlist|English|French}}
| leader_title = [[President of the European Council|President]]
| leader_name  = [[António Costa]]
| location     = [[Europa building]], [[City of Brussels|Brussels]]
| website      = {{URL|http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/european-council/|consilium.europa.eu}}
}}
{{Politics of the European Union}}

The '''European Council''' (informally '''EUCO''') is a collegiate body ([[directorial system]]) that defines the overall political direction and priorities of the [[European Union]] (EU). The European Council is part of the executive of the EU, beside the [[European Commission]]. It is composed of the [[heads of state]] or [[Head of government|of government]] of the [[Member state of the European Union|EU member states]], the [[president of the European Council]], and the [[president of the European Commission]]. The [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]] also takes part in its meetings.<ref name="seeToL">{{cite web |title=Consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union |url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cmsUpload/st06655-re01.en08.pdf |url-status=dead |access-date=2 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822135115/http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cmsUpload/st06655-re01.en08.pdf |archive-date=22 August 2017}}</ref>

Established as an informal summit in 1975, the European Council was formalised as an institution in 2009 upon the [[Coming into force|commencement]] of the [[Treaty of Lisbon]]. Its current president is [[António Costa]], former [[Prime Minister of Portugal|prime minister of Portugal]].

==Scope==
While the European Council has no [[legislative]] power, it is a strategic (and crisis-solving) body that provides the union with general political directions and priorities, and acts as a collective presidency. The [[European Commission]] remains the sole [[Right of initiative (legislative)|initiator of legislation]], but the European Council provides a guide to legislative policy.<ref>Art. 13 et seq of the [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:C:2010:083:SOM:EN:HTML Treaty on European Union]</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Gilbert |first=Mark |title=Surpassing Realism – The Politics of European Integration since 1945 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LkmN_tnRwewC&pg=PA219 |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |year=2003 |page=219 |isbn=9780742519145}}</ref>

The meetings of the European Council, still commonly referred to as [[EU summit]]s, are chaired by its president and take place at least twice every six months;<ref name="seeToL"/> usually in the [[Europa building]] in Brussels.<ref name="Europa Council">{{cite web |title=EUROPA – The European Council: Presidency Conclusions |url=http://ec.europa.eu/archives/european-council/index_en.htm |publisher=European Commission |access-date=11 December 2011}}</ref><ref name="www.consilium.europa.eu" /> Decisions of the European Council are taken by consensus, except where the Treaties provide otherwise.<ref>Art. 15(4) of the [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:C:2010:083:SOM:EN:HTML Treaty on European Union]</ref>

==History==
{{further|List of European Council meetings}}
The European Council officially gained the status of an EU institution after the [[Treaty of Lisbon]] in 2007, distinct from the [[Council of the European Union]] (Council of Ministers). Before that, the first summits of EU heads of state or government were held in February and July 1961 (in Paris and [[Bonn]] respectively). They were informal summits of the leaders of the [[European Community]], and were started due to then-[[President of France|French President]] [[Charles de Gaulle]]'s resentment at the domination of supranational institutions (notably the [[European Commission]]) over the integration process, but petered out. The first influential summit held, after the departure of de Gaulle, was the [[The Hague|Hague]] summit of 1969, which reached an agreement on the admittance of the United Kingdom into the Community and initiated foreign policy cooperation (the [[European Political Cooperation]]) taking integration beyond economics.<ref name="seeToL" /><ref name="Dragoman">{{cite web |last=Stark |first=Christine |title=Evolution of the European Council: The implications of a permanent seat |publisher=Dragoman.org |url=http://www.dragoman.org/ec/belfast-2002.pdf |access-date=12 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070709220601/http://www.dragoman.org/ec/belfast-2002.pdf |archive-date=9 July 2007}}</ref>

[[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F075760-0010, Brüssel, Sitzung des Europarates.jpg|thumb|left|300px|A traditional group photo, here taken at the [[Royal Palace of Brussels|royal palace in Brussels]] during Belgium's [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union|1987 presidency of the Council of the European Union]]]]

The summits were only formalised in the period between 1974 and 1988. At the December summit in Paris in 1974, following a proposal from then-French president [[Valéry Giscard d'Estaing]], it was agreed that more high-level, political input was needed following the "empty chair crisis" and economic problems.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Imbrogno |first=Anthony F. |title=The founding of the European Council: economic reform and the mechanism of continuous negotiation |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/07036337.2016.1188925 |journal=Journal of European Integration |volume=38 |issue=6 |pages=719–736 |date=18 September 2016 |via=Taylor and Francis+NEJM |s2cid=156950352 |doi=10.1080/07036337.2016.1188925}}</ref> The inaugural ''European Council'', as it became known, was held in [[Dublin]] on 10 and 11 March 1975 during Ireland's first Presidency of the [[Council of the European Union|Council of Ministers]]. In 1987, it was included in the treaties for the first time (the [[Single European Act]]) and had a defined role for the first time in the [[Maastricht Treaty]]. At first only a minimum of two meetings per year were required, which resulted in an average of three meetings per year being held for the 1975–1995 period. Since 1996, the number of meetings were required to be minimum four per year. For the latest 2008–2014 period, this minimum was well exceeded, by an average of seven meetings being held per year. The [[#Seat|seat of the Council]] was formalised in 2002, basing it in Brussels. Three types of European Councils exist: Informal, Scheduled and Extraordinary. While the informal meetings are also scheduled 1½ years in advance, they differ from the scheduled ordinary meetings by not ending with official ''Council conclusions'', as they instead end by more broad political ''Statements'' on some cherry-picked policy matters. The extraordinary meetings always end with official ''Council conclusions'' but differ from the scheduled meetings by not being scheduled more than a year in advance, as for example in 2001 when the European Council gathered to lead the European Union's response to the [[11 September attacks]].<ref name="seeToL"/><ref name="Dragoman"/>

Some meetings of the European Council—and, before the European Council was formalised, meetings of the heads of government—are seen by some as turning points in the [[history of the European Union]]. For example:<ref name="seeToL"/>
* 1969, ''[[The Hague]]'': Foreign policy and enlargement.
* 1974, ''Paris'': Creation of the council.
* 1985, ''[[Milan]]'': Initiate [[Intergovernmental Conference|IGC]] leading to the [[Single European Act]].
[[File:1991, persconferentie Eurotop, MECC Maastricht.jpg|thumb|300px|Press conference with European Commissioner [[Jacques Delors]] and Dutch ministers [[Wim Kok]], [[Hans van den Broek]] and [[Ruud Lubbers]], after the European Council of 9–10 December 1991 in Maastricht, which led to the [[Maastricht Treaty]] (1992)]]
* 1991, ''[[Maastricht]]'': Agreement on the [[Maastricht Treaty]].
* 1992, ''[[Edinburgh]]'': Agreement (by treaty provision) to retain at [[Strasbourg]] the plenary seat of the [[European Parliament]].
* 1993, ''[[Copenhagen]]'': Leading to the definition of the [[Copenhagen Criteria]].
* 1997, ''[[Amsterdam]]'': Agreement on the [[Amsterdam Treaty]].
* 1998, ''[[Brussels]]'': Selected member states to adopt the euro.
* 1999; ''[[Cologne]]'': [[List of European Councils#Cologne 1999|Declaration on military forces]].<ref name="Cologne ESDP">{{cite web|title=EU Security Policy & the role of the European Commission|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)|European Commission]]|url=http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/cfsp/esdp/chrono.htm|access-date=22 August 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071022213724/http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/cfsp/esdp/chrono.htm |archive-date = 22 October 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 1999, ''[[Tampere]]'': Institutional reform
* 2000, ''[[Lisbon]]'': [[Lisbon Strategy]]
* 2002, ''[[Copenhagen]]'': Agreement for May 2004 [[Enlargement of the European Union|enlargement]].
* 2007, ''[[Lisbon]]'': Agreement on the [[Lisbon Treaty]].
* 2009, ''Brussels'': Appointment of first president and merged High Representative.
* 2010, [[European Financial Stability Facility]]

As such, the European Council had already existed before it gained the status as an [[institution of the European Union]] with the entering into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, but even after it had been mentioned in the treaties (since the Single European Act) it could only take political decisions, not formal legal acts. However, when necessary, the Heads of State or Government could also meet as the [[Council of the European Union|Council of Ministers]] and take formal decisions in that role. Sometimes, this was even compulsory, e.g. Article 214(2) of the [[Treaty establishing the European Community]] provided (before it was amended by the [[Treaty of Lisbon]]) that '[[Council of the European Union|the Council]], meeting ''in the composition of Heads of State or Government'' and acting by a qualified majority, shall nominate the person it intends to appoint as President of the [[European Commission|Commission]]' (emphasis added); the same rule applied in some monetary policy provisions introduced by the [[Maastricht Treaty]] (e.g. Article 109j TEC). In that case, what was politically part of a European Council meeting was legally a meeting of the [[Council of the European Union|Council of Ministers]]. When the European Council, already introduced into the treaties by the Single European Act, became an institution by virtue of the Treaty of Lisbon, this was no longer necessary, and the "Council [of the European Union] meeting in the composition of the Heads of State or Government", was replaced in these instances by the European Council now taking formal legally binding decisions in these cases ([[:s:Consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union/Title III: Provisions on the Institutions#Article 15|Article 15 of the Treaty on European Union]]).<ref>[[s:Treaty of Lisbon/Article 2 - Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union|Wikisource: Article 2(3)(e), Treaty of Lisbon]]</ref>

The Treaty of Lisbon made the European Council a formal institution distinct from the (ordinary) Council of the EU, and created the present longer term and full-time presidency. As an outgrowth of the Council of the EU, the European Council had previously followed the same Presidency, rotating between each member state. While the Council of the EU retains that system, the European Council established, with no change in powers, a system of appointing an individual (without them being a national leader) for a two-and-a-half-year term—which can be renewed for the same person only once.<ref name="Constitution info">{{cite web|title=The Union's institutions: The European Council|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)]]|date=21 February 2001|url=http://europa.eu/scadplus/constitution/europeancouncil_en.htm|access-date=12 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221041824/http://europa.eu/scadplus/constitution/europeancouncil_en.htm|archive-date=21 December 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the ratification of the treaty in December 2009, the European Council elected the then-[[Prime Minister of Belgium]] [[Herman Van Rompuy]] as its first permanent president; he resigned the prime ministerial position.<ref name="consensus">{{cite news |title=Belgian PM Van Rompuy is named as new EU president |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8367589.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=20 November 2009 |access-date=20 November 2009}}</ref>

==Powers and functions==
The European Council is an official [[Institutions of the European Union|institution]] of the EU, described in the [[Lisbon Treaty]] as a body which "''shall provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development''". Essentially it defines the EU's policy agenda and has thus been considered to be the motor of [[European integration]].<ref name="seeToL"/> Beyond the need to provide "impetus", the council has developed further roles: to "settle issues outstanding from discussions at a lower level", to lead in foreign policy&nbsp;— acting externally as a "collective [[Head of State]]", "formal [[ratification]] of important documents" and "involvement in the negotiation of the [[Treaties of the European Union|treaty changes]]".<ref name="Europa Council"/><ref name="Dragoman"/>

Since the institution is composed of national leaders, it gathers the executive power of the member states and has thus a great influence in high-profile policy areas as for example [[Common Foreign and Security Policy|foreign policy]]. It also exercises powers of appointment, such as appointment of [[President of the European Council|its own President]], the [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]], and the [[President of the European Central Bank]]. It proposes, to the [[European Parliament]], a candidate for [[President of the European Commission]]. Moreover, the European Council influences police and justice planning, the composition of the commission, matters relating to the organisation of the rotating Council presidency, the suspension of membership rights, and changing the voting systems through the [[Passerelle Clause]]. Although the European Council has no direct legislative power, under the "emergency brake" procedure, a state outvoted in the [[Council of Ministers (European Union)|Council of Ministers]] may refer contentious legislation to the European Council. However, the state may still be outvoted in the European Council.<ref name="Constitution info"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Peers|first=Steve|title=EU Reform Treaty Analysis no. 2.2: Foreign policy provisions of the revised text of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) |publisher=[[Statewatch]]|date=2 August 2007|url=http://www.statewatch.org/news/2007/aug/eu-reform%20treaty-csfp1-2-2.pdf|access-date=26 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009160928/http://www.statewatch.org/news/2007/aug/eu-reform%20treaty-csfp1-2-2.pdf|archive-date=9 October 2007|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Peers|first=Steve|title=EU Reform Treaty analysis 1: JHA provisions|publisher=[[Statewatch]]|date=2 August 2007|url=http://www.statewatch.org/news/2007/aug/eu-reform-treaty-jha-analysis-1.pdf|access-date=26 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009160801/http://www.statewatch.org/news/2007/aug/eu-reform-treaty-jha-analysis-1.pdf|archive-date=9 October 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> Hence with powers over the supranational executive of the EU, in addition to its other powers, the European Council has been described by some as the Union's "supreme political authority".<ref name="Europa Council"/><ref name="Dragoman"/><ref name="Constitution info"/><ref name="How work">{{cite book|title=How does the EU work|year=2012|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)]]|isbn=9789279205125|url=http://europa.eu/abc/12lessons/lesson_4/index_en.htm|access-date=12 July 2007}}</ref>

==Composition==
The European Council consists of the heads of state or government of the member states, alongside its own [[President of the European Council|President]] and the [[President of the European Commission|Commission President]] (both non-voting). The meetings used to be regularly attended by the national foreign minister as well, and the Commission President likewise accompanied by another member of the commission. However, since the Treaty of Lisbon, this has been discontinued, as the size of the body had become somewhat large following successive accessions of new Member States to the Union.<ref name="seeToL"/><ref name="Europa Council"/>
Meetings can also include other invitees, such as the President of the European Central Bank, as required. The [[Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union|Secretary-General of the Council]] attends, and is responsible for organisational matters, including minutes. The [[President of the European Parliament]] also attends to give an opening speech outlining the [[European Parliament]]'s position before talks begin.<ref name="seeToL"/><ref name="Europa Council"/>

Additionally, the negotiations involve a large number of other people working behind the scenes. Most of those people, however, are not allowed to the conference room, except for two delegates per state to relay messages. At the push of a button members can also call for advice from a Permanent Representative via the "[[Antici Group]]" in an adjacent room. The group is composed of diplomats and assistants who convey information and requests. Interpreters are also required for meetings as members are permitted to speak in their [[Languages of the European Union|own languages]].<ref name="seeToL"/>

As the composition is not precisely defined, some states which have a considerable division of executive power can find it difficult to decide who should attend the meetings. While an MEP, [[Alexander Stubb]] argued that there was no need for the [[President of Finland]] to attend Council meetings with or instead of the [[Prime Minister of Finland]] (who was head of European foreign policy).<ref name="NRF">{{cite web|title=Finnish Conservatives name Stubb foreign minister|publisher=new Room Finland|url=http://newsroom.finland.fi/stt/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=18391&group=Politics|date=1 April 2008|access-date=1 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116021717/http://newsroom.finland.fi/stt/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=18391&group=Politics|archive-date=16 January 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2008, having become [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Finland)|Finnish Foreign Minister]], Stubb was forced out of the Finnish delegation to the emergency council meeting on the [[2008 South Ossetia war|Georgian crisis]] because the President wanted to attend the high-profile summit as well as the Prime Minister (only two people from each country could attend the meetings).{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} This was despite Stubb being [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe#Chairmanship|Chair-in-Office]] of the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] at the time which was heavily involved in the crisis. Problems also occurred in Poland where the [[President of Poland]] and the [[Prime Minister of Poland]] were of different parties and had a different foreign policy response to the crisis.<ref>{{cite web|last=Phillips|first=Leigh|title=Spats over who gets to go to EU summit break out in Poland, Finland|publisher=EU Observer|url=http://euobserver.com/9/26658|date=29 August 2008|access-date = 1 September 2008}}</ref> A similar situation arose in Romania between [[President of Romania|President]] [[Traian Băsescu]] and Prime Minister [[Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu]] in 2007–2008 and again in 2012 with Prime Minister [[Victor Ponta]], who both opposed the president.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

===Eurozone summits===
{{main|Euro summit}}
A number of ad hoc meetings of heads of state or government of the member states of the [[Eurozone|euro area]] were held in 2010 and 2011 to discuss the Sovereign Debt crisis. It was agreed in October 2011 that they should meet regularly twice a year (with extra meetings if needed). This will normally be at the end of a European Council meeting and according to the same format (chaired by the President of the European Council and including the President of the Commission), but usually restricted to the (currently 20) heads of state or government of the member states of the eurozone.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

===President===
{{Main|President of the European Council}}
The President of the European Council is elected by its members through a [[qualified majority]] vote for a once-renewable term of two and a half years. Article 15 of the [[Treaty on European Union]] (TEU) identifies his duties. It is the Heads of State or Government who vote for this office.<ref name=cons1>{{Cite web|url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/european-council/president/role/|access-date=21 March 2015|title=European Council: The President's role|quote=The President the European Council is elected by the European Council by a qualified majority. He is elected for a 2.5-year term, which is renewable once.}}</ref> The President must report to the [[European Parliament]] after each European Council meeting.<ref name="Europa Council"/><ref name="How work"/> The post was created by the [[Treaty of Lisbon]] and was subject to a debate over its exact role. Prior to Lisbon, the Presidency rotated in accordance with the [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union]].<ref name="Europa Council" /><ref name="How work" /> The role of that President-in-Office was in no sense (other than protocol) equivalent to an office of a [[head of state]], merely a ''primus inter pares'' (first among equals) role among other European heads of government. The President-in-Office was primarily responsible for preparing and chairing the Council meetings, and had no executive powers other than the task of representing the Union externally. Now the leader of the Council Presidency country can still act as president when the permanent president is absent.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

===Members===
{{further|List of members of the European Council}}

{{Members of the European Council}}

===Political alliances===
[[File:Current membership of the European Council.svg|thumb|300px|European political affiliation of the current members of the European Council]]

Almost all members of the European Council are members of a political party at the national level. Most of them are also members of political alliances at the European level such as [[European political party|European political parties]] and [[political groups of the European Parliament]].

These alliances frequently hold pre-meetings with their European Council members, prior to their meetings. However, the members of the European Council represent their member states rather than political alliances, and decisions are generally made along national lines, though ideological alignment can colour political agreements and appointments (such as the president of the European Council).<ref>{{cite web|last=Drachenberg |first=Ralf |title=European political parties and the European Council: A pattern of ever closer coordination? |publisher=[[European Parliamentary Research Service]] |year=2022 |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_STU(2022)699476 |access-date=2024-05-28}}</ref>

The charts below outline the number of leaders affiliated to each alliance and their total voting weight. The map indicates the political group of the member representing each individual country.

{{bar box |width=650px |barwidth=475px |title=Number of members by political group<ref name="affiliation">{{Cite web|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_ATA(2024)608781|title=Current Membership of the European Council &#124; Think Tank &#124; European Parliament}}</ref> |titlebar=#ddd |bars=
{{bar pixel|[[European People's Party Group|EPP]]|{{party color|European People's Party Group}}|444||{{mono|12 (44.4%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Renew Europe|Renew]]|{{party color|Renew Europe}}|148||{{mono|4 (14.8%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[European Conservatives and Reformists Group|ECR]]|{{party color|European Conservatives and Reformists}}|111||{{mono|3 (11.1%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|S&D]]|{{party color|Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats}}|111||{{mono|3 (11.1%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Independent politician|Ind.]]|{{party color|Independent politician}}|111||{{mono|3 (11.1%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Patriots for Europe|PfE]]|{{party color|Patriots for Europe}}|37||{{mono|1 ( 3.7%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|{{Abbr|Una.|Unaffiliated}}|{{party color|Non-Inscrits}}|37||{{mono|1 ( 3.7%)}}}}
}}

<!-- Calculated by adding the population of each state and dividing by the total population -->
{{bar box |width=650px |barwidth=475px |title=Share of population by political group<ref name="affiliation"/><ref>{{cite act |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2021/2320/oj |title=Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2021/2320 of 22 December 2021 amending the Council's Rules of Procedure |legislature=Council of the European Union |date=22 December 2021 |index=2021/2320 |type=Decision}}</ref> |titlebar=#ddd |bars=
{{bar pixel|[[European People's Party Group|EPP]]|{{party color|European People's Party Group}}|446||{{mono|{{0|0 (}}44.6%{{0|)}}}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[European Conservatives and Reformists Group|ECR]]|{{party color|European Conservatives and Reformists}}|183||{{mono|18.3%{{0|)}}}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Renew Europe|Renew]]|{{party color|Renew Europe}}|170||{{mono|17.0%{{0|)}}}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|S&D]]|{{party color|Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats}}|120||{{mono|12.0%{{0|)}}}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Independent politician|Ind.]]|{{party color|Independent politician}}|48||{{mono|4.8%{{0|)}}}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Patriots for Europe|PfE]]|{{party color|Patriots for Europe}}|22||{{mono|2.2%{{0|)}}}}}}
{{bar pixel|{{Abbr|Una.|Unaffiliated}}|{{party color|Non-Inscrits}}|12||{{mono|1.2%{{0|)}}}}}}
}}

<!-- In order to improve consistency across pages, the values below are automatically filled from [[Template:EUCouncilcountEuropeanParty]] -->
{{bar box |width=650px |barwidth=475px |title=Number of members by European political party{{refn|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.epp.eu/parties-and-partners |title=EPP - European People's Party - Parties & partners |publisher=EPP |accessdate=20 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://pes.eu/about-us/leadership/ |title=Leadership - The Party of European Socialists |publisher=PES |accessdate=20 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aldeparty.eu/leadership |title=Leadership - ALDE Party |publisher=ALDE Party |accessdate=20 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ecrparty.eu/about/ |title=About - ECR Party |publisher=ECR Party |accessdate=20 June 2024}}</ref>}} |titlebar=#ddd |bars=
{{bar pixel|[[European People's Party|EPP]]|{{EUPP data|color|EPP}}|{{#expr: 10 * {{EUPP data|seat share|EPP|EUCO}} }}||{{mono|{{EUPP data|seats|EPP|EUCO}} ({{EUPP data|seat share|EPP|EUCO}}%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Independent politician|Ind.]]|{{party color|Independent politician}}|{{#expr: 10 * {{EUPP data|seat share|ind|EUCO}} }}||{{mono|{{EUPP data|seats|ind|EUCO}} ({{EUPP data|seat share|ind|EUCO}}%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Party of European Socialists|PES]]|{{EUPP data|color|PES}}|{{#expr: 10 * {{EUPP data|seat share|PES|EUCO}} }}||{{mono|{{EUPP data|seats|PES|EUCO}} ({{EUPP data|seat share|PES|EUCO}}%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|ALDE]]|{{EUPP data|color|ALDE}}|{{#expr: 10 * {{EUPP data|seat share|ALDE|EUCO}} }}||{{mono|{{EUPP data|seats|ALDE|EUCO}} ({{EUPP data|seat share|ALDE|EUCO}}%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[European Conservatives and Reformists Party|ECR]]|{{EUPP data|color|ECR}}|{{#expr: 10 * {{EUPP data|seat share|ECR|EUCO}} }}||{{mono|{{EUPP data|seats|ECR|EUCO}} ({{EUPP data|seat share|ECR|EUCO}}%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[European Free Alliance|EFA]]|{{EUPP data|color|EFA}}|{{#expr: 10 * {{EUPP data|seat share|EFA|EUCO}} }}||{{mono|{{EUPP data|seats|EFA|EUCO}} ({{EUPP data|seat share|EFA|EUCO}}%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|[[Patriots.eu|P.eu]]|{{EUPP data|color|Patriots}}|{{#expr: 10 * {{EUPP data|seat share|Patriots|EUCO}} }}||{{mono|{{EUPP data|seats|Patriots|EUCO}} ({{EUPP data|seat share|Patriots|EUCO}}%)}}}}
{{bar pixel|{{Abbr|Una.|Unaffiliated}}|{{party color|Non-Inscrits}}|{{#expr: 10 * {{EUPP data|seat share|none|EUCO}} }}||{{mono|{{EUPP data|seats|none|EUCO}} ({{EUPP data|seat share|none|EUCO}}%)}}}}
}}

===Members timeline===
{{European Council Members Timeline}}

==Seat and meetings==
{{Further|List of European Councils|Location of European Union institutions|Europa building}}

The European Council is required by Article 15.3 [[Treaty on European Union|TEU]] to meet at least twice every six months, but convenes more frequently in practice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Consolidated_version_of_the_Treaty_on_European_Union/Title_III:_Provisions_on_the_Institutions&oldid=1836708|title=Consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union|via=Wikisource}}</ref><ref name="ukandeu.ac.uk">{{Cite web|url=http://ukandeu.ac.uk/explainers/the-european-council-the-who-what-where-how-and-why/|title=The European Council – the who, what, where, how and why – UK in a changing Europe|website=ukandeu.ac.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-05-07}}</ref> Despite efforts to contain business, meetings typically last for at least two days, and run long into the night.<ref name="ukandeu.ac.uk" />

Until 2002, the venue for European Council summits was the member state that held the rotating [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union]]. However, European leaders agreed during ratification of the [[Treaty of Nice|Nice Treaty]] to forego this arrangement at such a time as the total membership of the European Union surpassed 18 member states.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Treaty_of_Nice/Declarations_Adopted_by_the_Conference&oldid=4662367|title=Treaty of Nice|via=Wikisource}}</ref> An advanced implementation of this agreement occurred in 2002, with certain states agreeing to waive their right to host meetings, favouring Brussels as the location.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/permanent-seat-for-the-european-council-could-change-the-eu-s-nature/|title=Permanent seat for the European Council could change the EU's nature|website=EURACTIV.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-05-07|date=2002-09-18}}</ref> Following the growth of the EU to 25 member states, with the [[2004 enlargement of the European Union|2004 enlargement]], all subsequent official summits of the European Council have been in Brussels, with the exception of punctuated ad hoc meetings, such as the 2017 informal European Council in Malta.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/european-council/2017/02/03-informal-meeting/|title=Informal meeting of EU heads of state or government, Malta, 03/02/2017 – Consilium|website=www.consilium.europa.eu|language=en|access-date=2017-05-07}}</ref> The logistical, environmental, financial and security arrangements of hosting large summits are usually cited as the primary factors in the decision by EU leaders to move towards a permanent seat for the European Council.<ref name="Dragoman" /> Additionally, some scholars argue that the move, when coupled with the formalisation of the European Council in the [[Lisbon Treaty]], represents an institutionalisation of an ad hoc EU organ that had its origins in [[Luxembourg compromise]], with national leaders reasserting their dominance as the EU's "supreme political authority".<ref name="Dragoman" />

Originally, both the European Council and the [[Council of the European Union]] utilised the [[Justus Lipsius building]] as their Brussels venue. In order to make room for additional meeting space a number of renovations were made, including the conversion of an underground carpark into additional press briefing rooms.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.sky.com/story/why-british-prime-ministers-wont-miss-going-to-eu-council-summits-10795771|title=Why PMs won't miss going to EU Council summits|work=Sky News|access-date=2017-05-07|language=en-GB}}</ref> However, in 2004 leaders decided the logistical problems created by the outdated facilities warranted the construction of a new purpose built seat able to cope with the nearly 6,000 meetings, working groups, and summits per year.<ref name="www.consilium.europa.eu">{{Cite web|url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/12/07-europa-building/|title=EUROPA : Home of the European Council and the Council of the EU – Consilium|website=www.consilium.europa.eu|language=en|access-date=2017-05-07}}</ref> This resulted in the [[Europa building]], which opened its doors in 2017. The focal point of the new building, the distinctive multi-storey "lantern-shaped" structure in which the main meeting room is located, is utilised in both the European Council's and Council of the European Union's official logos.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.politico.eu/article/new-hq-new-logo/|title=New HQ, new logo|date=2014-01-15|work=POLITICO|access-date=2017-05-07|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Role in security and defence==
{{Further|Command and control structure of the European Union}}
{{European Union command and control structure}}

==See also==
* [[Laeken indicators]]
* [[Euro summit]]
* [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union]]
* [[List of members of the European Council]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last=Wessels |first=Wolfgang |title=The European Council |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |year=2016 |isbn=978-0333587461 }}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/european-council/}}
* [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/browse/institutions/eu-council.html Access to documents of the European Council] on [[EUR-Lex]]
* [http://aei.pitt.edu/summit_guide.html Archive of European Integration – Summit Guide]
* [http://www.cvce.eu/collections/unit-content/-/unit/d5906df5-4f83-4603-85f7-0cabc24b9fe1/f53d9750-e539-4fe0-9ee8-2910f099eff1/Resources#e9e34384-c5e0-496e-be86-21d5a2e56d4d European Council] Collection of documents – CVCE 
* [http://www.reflectiongroup.eu/ Reflection Group established by the European Council]
* [https://eng.az24saat.org/2021/10/22/eu-council-relations-with-eap-region-of-strategic-importance/ EU Council: Relations with EaP region of strategic importance]

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{{EU politics}}
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[[Category:European Council| ]]
[[Category:Politics of the European Union]]