Council of European Union

The Council of the European Union, also known as the Council of Ministers or simply the Council, is one of the main institutions of the European Union (EU). It represents the member states of the EU and is responsible for setting the EU's policy agenda, adopting legislation, and coordinating the EU's policies.

The Council is composed of ministers from each member state, who are responsible for the policy area being discussed. For example, if the Council is discussing environmental policy, the minister responsible for the environment from each member state will attend the meeting.

The presidency of the Council rotates among the member states every six months. The country holding the presidency sets the agenda for the Council and chairs the meetings. The Council meets in various configurations depending on the topic being discussed. The most common configuration is the General Affairs Council, which is responsible for coordinating the work of the other Council configurations.

The Council works closely with the European Parliament, which represents the EU's citizens, and the European Commission, which is responsible for proposing new legislation and implementing EU policies. Together, these three institutions form the core of the EU's decision-making process.