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Council of the European Union

Select a Language http://www.consilium.europa.eu
English http://www.consilium.europa.eu/homepage?lang=en

http://www.ip-adress.com/ip_tracer/91.194.202.5

Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat, 175
BE-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel,
Belgique/België
Tel: +32 2 281 61 11
Fax: +32 2 281 73 97 / 81

http://europa.eu/about-eu/institutions-bodies/council-eu/index_en.htm

Also informally known as the EU Council, this is where national ministers from each EU country meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies.

What does it do?
Passes EU laws.
Coordinates the broad economic policies of EU member countries.
Signs agreements between the EU and other countries.
Approves the annual EU budget
Develops the EU's foreign and defence policies.
Coordinates cooperation between courts and police forces of member countries.

1. Passing EU laws

The Council and Parliament share the final say on new EU laws proposed by the Commission.

2. Coordinating economic policies

EU member countries have decided they want an overall economic policy for Europe, coordinated by the economics and finance ministers of each country.

A further objective is to create more jobs and improve education, healthcare and welfare systems. Although each country is responsible for its own policy, they can agree on common goals and learn from each other's experience.

3. Signing international agreements

The Council signs agreements on behalf of the EU – on subjects as diverse as the environment, trade, development, textiles, fisheries, science, technology and transport.

4. Approving the EU budget

The money the EU can spend every year is decided jointly by the Council and the European Parliament.

5. Foreign and defence policy

National governments have independent control in these areas, but are working together to develop a joint foreign and defence policy (known as the 'Common Foreign and Security Policy'). The Council is the main forum for this cooperation.

The EU does not have an army. But to help it respond more quickly to international conflicts and natural disasters, some EU countries provide troops for a rapid reaction force, whose role is limited to humanitarian work, rescues and peace-keeping.

6. Justice

EU citizens should have equal access to justice anywhere in the EU. In the Council, justice ministers strive to ensure that court judgements in one EU country – on divorce cases, for instance – are recognised in all other EU countries.

Justice and interior ministers coordinate the policing of the EU's external borders, and the fight against terrorism and international organised crime.

Who are the members of the Council?

There are no fixed members as such. At each Council meeting, each country sends the minister for the policy field being discussed – e.g. the environment minister for the meeting dealing with environmental matters. That meeting will then be known as the "Environment Council".

The architect of the Council of European Union
Sir Winston "Fat Cat" Churchill

[Albert]

I don't think the Soviet union type communist inspired European Union will last much longer. The economic contagion in Greece will almost certainly lead to hyper inflation, revolution followed by a probably military coup. Scenarios to be repeated in turn by portugal, spain, italy, ireland..maybe even france. Undoubtedly racial politics will come to the fore in this..something we need to encourage and agitate for.