European Council
The European Council is the EU institution that defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union.
Members of the European Council
The members of the European Council are the heads of state or government of the 27 EU member states, the European Council President and the President of the European Commission.
Charles Michel
President of the European Council
Karl Nehammer
Austria
Alexander De Croo
Belgium
Kiril Petkov
Bulgaria
Andrej Plenković
Croatia
Nicos Anastasiades
Cyprus
Petr Fiala
Czech Republic
Mette Frederiksen
Denmark
Kaja Kallas
Estonia
Sanna Marin
Finland
Emmanuel Macron
France
Olaf Scholz
Germany
Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Greece
Viktor Orbán
Hungary
Micheál Martin
Ireland
Mario Draghi
Italy
Krišjānis Kariņš
Latvia
Gitanas Nausėda
Lithuania
Xavier Bettel
Luxembourg
Robert Abela
Malta
Mark Rutte
Netherlands
Mateusz Morawiecki
Poland
António Costa
Portugal
Klaus Werner Iohannis
Romania
Eduard Heger
Slovakia
Robert Golob
Slovenia
Pedro Sánchez
Spain
Magdalena Andersson
Sweden
Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European CommissionAbout the European Council
The European Council defines the EU's overall political direction and priorities, traditionally by adopting conclusions. It does not negotiate or adopt EU laws.
History
- The European Council was created as an informal forum for discussion between heads of state or government of the EU member states.
- Under the Treaty of Maastricht, the European Council acquired a formal status and role to provide the impetus and general political guidelines for the EU.
- The European Council became one of the seven EU institutions, following the changes introduced by the Lisbon Treaty.
