Council

Question 1

Role of the Council in the EU budget

Answer 1

annual EU budget is negotiated jointly by the European Parliament and by the Council.

Question 2

Role of the Council in international agreements

Answer 2

The Council is involved at all stages of negotiation and conclusion of agreements between the EU and non-EU countries or international organisations.

Question 3

Role of the Council in the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)

Answer 3

European Council: guidelines,

the Council determines the CFSP and takes the decisions needed for its implementation.

Question 4

In practice, many decisions under qualified majority voting in the Council are taken by…

Answer 4

consensus (without formal vote).

Question 5

QMV rules

Answer 5

55% of Member States vote in favour 15 out of 27

representing at least 65% of the total EU population.

Question 6

What are A-times?

Answer 6

approval without discussion

Question 7

The Com is present at the Council meetings except …

Answer 7

prepares legal action by the Council against the Commission;

deals with internal budgetary or administrative issues of the Counci

Question 8

Meeting frequency of COREPER I and II

Answer 8

Coreper II and I meet in principle every week.

Question 9

Composition of COREPER I

Answer 9

Member States’ Deputy Permanent Representatives.

Question 10

Composition of COREPER II

Answer 10

Member States’ Permanent Representatives.

Question 11

Is COREPER a decision making body?

Answer 11

Coreper is not an EU decision-making body. Any agreement it reaches can be called into question by the Council.

Question 12

What does the Antici group do?

Answer 12

Informal group which prepares the work of Coreper II

Question 13

What does the Mertens group do?

Answer 13

Informal group which prepares the work of Coreper I

Question 14

COREPER II prepares the work for the following Council conifgurations?

Answer 14

General Affairs Council (GAC);
Foreign Affairs Council (FAC);
Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN);
Justice and Home Affairs (JHA).

Question 15

COREPER I prepares the work for the following Council configurations

Answer 15

Employment, Social policy, Health and Consumer affairs (EPSCO);

Competitiveness (COMPET);

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy (TTE);

Agriculture and FisheriesAGRIFISH);

Environment (ENV);

Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS).

Question 16

Is there a hierarchy among the configuration?

Answer 16

There is no hierarchy between the Council configurations. However, the General Affairs Council has a special coordination role.

Question 17

Can any Council configurations adopt legals acts in any domain?

Answer 17

Yes, Any of the Council’s configurations can adopt an act that falls under the remit of another configuration.

no mention is made of the configuration.

Question 18

meeting frequency of Foreign Affairs Council

Answer 18

The Foreign Affairs Council meets once a month.

Question 19

Which Council configuration deals with the MFF

Answer 19

General Affairs Council

Question 20

Which Council configuration deals with EU enlargement and accession negotiations?

Answer 20

General Affairs Council

Question 21

Which Council configuration oordinates the preparatory works for European Council meetings.?

Answer 21

General Affairs Council

Question 22

Is the Eurogroup a formal body?

Answer 22

Eurogroup is an informal body

Question 23

Composition of Eurogroup?

Answer 23

nance ministers of the Member States whose currency is euro (Eurozone)

Question 24

Election of Eurogroup President

Answer 24

The Eurogroup elects its President for a term of 2,5 years by means of simple majority voting.

Question 25

According to which Treaty do Euro Summit meetings take place at least twice a year?

Answer 25

Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance

Feb 2012 Intergovernmental)

Question 26

How many working parties?

Answer 26

150 highly specialised working parties and committees, known as the ‘Council preparatory bodies’.

Question 27

What is the Nicolaidis Group?

Answer 27

Nicolaidis Group prepares the meetings of the Political and Security Committee (PSC). The Nicolaidis Group meets twice a week, always on the day preceding the PSC meeting