European Council

This is the third European Council organised under the French Presidency, an extraordinary council having been convoked on 1 September following the conflict in Georgia. This Council is about the Lisbon Treaty, economic and financial issues, energy and climate change, the common agricultural policy and the EU’s security and external relations.

The European Council brings together the Heads of State and Government of the 27 Member States and the President of the European Commission. They are assisted by the foreign affairs ministers of the EU Member States and a member of the Commission. European Council meetings are also attended by the High-Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, who assists the President of the European Council, and by the Secretary-General of the European Commission.

Though it does not adopt formal legislative acts, the European Council is the most important decision-making body of the European Union. It is the institution that gives the EU the necessary impetus for its development and defines its general political guidelines, in particular in the domain of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The Presidency intends to restrict the agenda for the European Council to items which will actually be discussed by the Heads of State or Government.  The conclusions of the meeting will be brief, focusing mainly on the decisions and general policy lines approved by the European Council, and, if necessary, the follow-up to previous European Councils.

The meeting will be preceded by a presentation by the President of the European Parliament, Mr Hans-Gert Pöttering, followed by an exchange of views.

Provisional agenda :

I. Lisbon Treaty

Further to the conclusions of its meeting in October 2008, the European Council will return to this issue in order to adumbrate a solution and establish a common way forward.

II. Economic and financial affairs

The European Council will return to the financial crisis and its impact on the economy. In particular, it will review work undertaken following the meeting in October 2008 and will issue the necessary decisions or guidance as regards:
- strengthening financial stability and financial supervision;
- initiatives for reforming the international financial system;
- support for growth and employment, for maintaining European industry's international competitiveness and for Europe's scientific and technological development.

III. Energy and climate change

In accordance with its October 2008 conclusions, the European Council will decide on appropriate responses to the challenges of implementing the energy-climate package, with a view to reaching overall agreement on it by the end of the year, working closely with the European Parliament.

IV. Common agricultural policy

The European Council will review the work of the Agriculture Ministers on the CAP health check and, if appropriate, the way ahead.

V. External relations and security

The European Council will be asked to approve a declaration on European defence and security, concerning, in particular, the European security strategy, international security, and strengthening European security and defence policy capabilities.

It will briefly consider the Commission proposals for an eastern partnership and ask the Council and the Commission to continue work on this in 2009.

The Presidency does not, at this stage, plan to raise any other foreign policy matters at this European Council meeting.

 

Historic European Council : Report

• Updated: 22.12.2008

• 
• Gallery
• Back to the top