Council of the EU

Question 1

Council- structure

Answer 1

• 27 ministers acting as national representatives
  -formation of the Council depends on policy area (10 different configurations)
  -chaired by the presidency (CFSP- HR/VP)

-Coreper: I & II (preparatory and de facto decision-making body)

• Working Groups (national officials)- permanent/ad hoc; lighten Coreper’s work
• General Secretariat of the Council (GSC), including Secretary General: bureaucratic/administrative role

Question 2

Council- functions

Answer 2

-formal legislative authority: co-legislator with the EP under the OLP; co-budgetary authority.
-policy coordination

Question 3

Council- presidency

Answer 3

-rotating (every 6 months)
-plans, schedules, and chairs meetings
- presidency- trio prepare an 18-month program

Question 4

Council- decision-making (3 voting methods)

Answer 4

-QMV- 80% of legislative actions
-unanimity- EU Treaty amendments; decisions on EU Budget; certain aspects within the CFSP
-consensus

Question 5

GSC- responsibilities

Answer 5

• keep track of meetings
  -translation of documents
  -vote-calculation
  -plan/ organize Council meetings
  -support/aid the rotating presidency
  (horizontal)

Question 6

Secretary General

Answer 6

appointed by heads of state; changes rarely

Question 7

Consensus culture

Answer 7

-avoidance of formal voting when deciding by QMV; norm within the Council

Question 8

Consensus

Answer 8

absence of explicit opposition (does NOT equal unanimity

Question 9

Reasons behind voting-avoidance

Answer 9

-logic of appropriateness: Council norms
-logic of consequences
Presidency: hampering Council productivity/ negotiations
MS: backlash prevention; balme avoidance

Question 10

consensus without voting

Answer 10

-bicameral meetings between the presidency and national representatives (usually at Coreper level), in case the latter want to vote negatively/abstain
-Presidency, after having made sure that there is no blocking minority, announces that a qualified majority has been reached
-after this, even dissenting members are either silent or join the majority (strategic move)

Question 11

why is consensus culture problematic?

Answer 11

• lack of accountability (blame avoidance)
  -lack of transparency (even when “voting” results have to be published, they usually are only after the decision has been made)