The Council of the European Union, formerly called the Council of Ministers, is the forum where the ministers of each cabinet of the member states come together in 10 different settings (General Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Economic and Financial Affairs, Justice and Home Affairs (JHA), Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs, Competitiveness (internal market, industry, research and space), Transport, Telecommunications and Energy, Agriculture and Fisheries, Environment, Education, youth, culture and sport).

After the entering into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the Council shares decision-making competences in most cases with the European Parliament through the reinforcement of the co-decision procedure. The 27 member-states rotate in chairing the Council in six months terms. To ensure continuity in its politics, the presidency works in a trio drawing a 18 months plan.  The decision-making process within the Council is now mostly majority rather than anonimity voting, either via a majority of the member states (qualified majority in some cases) or via a minimum of 255 out of the total 345 votes. Additionally, a member state can ask for the votes in favour to represent at least 62 per cent of the total EU population for the legislation to pass. General tasks of  the Council are the coordination of the common foreign and security policy of the European Union, the conclusion international agreements on behalf of the Union and the decision on the EU’s annual budget together with the European Parliament.

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