European Union Institutions

What does the European Council consist of?

What is the main purpose of the European Council?

What is the Council of Europe?

What is the purpose of the 'Strategic Agenda 2019 – 2024'?

How do EU leaders engage when they meet as the European Council?

What is the role of the European Council and the Council of the European Union?

How often do EU leaders meet as the European Council?

What is a significant part of the European Council's work?

What is the main responsibility of the president of the European Council?

Who prepares every Council meeting?

Who examines legislative proposals at the technical level?

What is the term of office for the Council presidency?

Who chairs the Foreign Affairs Council?

How often does each member state hold the Council presidency?

What is the main responsibility of the Council?

What is the role of the European Council in times of crisis?

European Institutions

The European Commission, European Parliament, and Council are the main institutions of the European Union (EU).

The Council and European Council

The Council refers to two different EU institutions:
The European Council, composed of the 27 EU member states' heads of state or government.
The Council of the European Union, which also represents EU member governments in the EU.
They have different members and roles, despite sharing the same building.

European Council

The European Council is the body of leaders (heads of state or government) of the 27 EU member states.
They engage in discussions on major common issues and advance European policies.
Work includes:
Planned work, such as the "Strategic Agenda 2019 – 2024".
Unforeseen crisis management, e.g., Russia's war against Ukraine, COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, financial and euro crisis, and migration crisis.

Council of the European Union

The Council is where the daily legislative work takes place.
The process involves:
Experts from member states' national administrations examining legislative proposals at the technical level.
Coreper (the Committee of the Member States' Permanent Representatives) preparing Council meetings.
National ministers adopting EU legislation at the top level.

Presidency of the Council

The presidency is held by a member state, not an individual, for a six-month rotating term.
Each of the 27 member states takes its turn according to a predetermined order.
The presidency is held once every 13.5 years for each member state.

This quiz covers the main institutions of the European Union, including the European Commission, European Parliament, and the Council. Learn about their roles and responsibilities.