Setting the EU's political agenda
The European Council is one of the 7 EU institutions. However, it is not one of the EU's legislating bodies, so does not negotiate or adopt EU laws. Instead its main role is to determine the EU's general political direction and priorities - essentially setting the policy agenda for the EU.
Traditionally, this is done by adopting conclusions during each European Council meeting. These conclusions identify specific issues of concern for the EU and outline particular actions to take or goals to reach. European Council conclusions can also set a deadline for reaching agreement on a particular item or for the presentation of legislative proposal. In this way, the European Council is able to influence and guide the EU's policy agenda.
The European Council also adopts a 'strategic agenda' of priority areas for longer-term EU action and focus.
A strategic agenda for the EU
At its meeting in Brussels on 20 June 2019, the European Council agreed on an agenda for the EU for the next five years. 'A new strategic agenda 2019-2024' sets out the priority areas that will steer the work of the European Council and provide guidance for the work programmes of other EU institutions.
The strategic agenda focuses on four main priorities:
- protecting citizens and freedoms
- developing a strong and vibrant economic base
- building a climate-neutral, green, fair and social Europe
- promoting European interests and values on the global stage
It also sets out how to achieve those objectives.
Protecting citizens and freedoms
Europe must be a place where people feel free and safe. The EU must defend the fundamental rights and freedoms of its citizens and protect them against existing and emerging threats.
The main priorities of the European Council in this area are:
- effective control of the external borders
- fighting illegal migration and human trafficking through better cooperation with countries of origin and transit
- agreeing an effective asylum policy
- ensuring proper functioning of Schengen
- improving cooperation and information-sharing to fight terrorism and cross-border crime
- increasing the EU's resilience against both natural and man-made disasters
- protecting our societies from malicious cyber activities, hybrid threats and disinformation
Developing our economic base: the European model for the future
Europe's competitiveness, prosperity, jobs and role on the global stage all depend on a strong economic base. In this field, the European Council is focusing on:
- deepening the Economic and Monetary Union
- completing the banking and capital markets union
- strengthening the international role of the euro
- strengthening cohesion in the EU
- working on all aspects of the digital revolution and artificial intelligence: infrastructure, connectivity, services, data, regulation and investment
- reducing the fragmentation of European research, development and innovation activities
- ensuring fair competition within the EU and on the global stage
Building a climate-neutral, green, fair and social Europe
Europe needs to step up its action to manage climate change, which is an 'existential threat'. It also needs to embrace technological evolution and globalisation while making sure that no-one is left behind. Priority actions identified by the European Council include:
- ensuring that EU policies are consistent with the Paris Agreement
- accelerating the transition to renewables and increasing energy efficiency
- reducing dependence on outside energy sources, diversifying supplies and investing in solutions for the mobility of the future
- improving the quality of our air and waters
- promoting sustainable agriculture
- implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights at EU and member state level
- calling on all EU countries to move forward and step up their climate action
Promoting Europe's interests and values in the world
In a world of increasing uncertainty, complexity and change, the EU needs to pursue a strategic course of action and increase its capacity to act autonomously to safeguard its interests, uphold its values and way of life, and help shape the global future. In this area, the European Council has agreed the following key actions:
- supporting the UN and key multilateral organisations
- promoting sustainable development and implementing the 2030 agenda
- cooperating with partner countries on migration
- upholding the European perspective for European states able and willing to join the EU
- developing a comprehensive partnership with Africa
- ensuring ambitious and robust trade policy, within the reformed WTO and at the bilateral level between the EU and its partners
- cooperating closely with NATO
Delivering on our priorities
This strategic agenda is the first step in a process that will be taken forward by the EU institutions and the member states. The European Council will follow the implementation of these priorities closely and will define further general political directions and priorities as necessary.
"The EU must be big on big and small on small. It must leave economic and social actors the space to breathe, to create and to innovate. It will be important to engage with citizens, civil society and social partners, as well as with regional and local actors. (...) The EU must give itself the means to meet its ambitions, attain its objectives and carry through its policies."
A new strategic agenda 2019-2024
Policy guidelines
As well as setting the EU's political priorities through the strategic agenda and through its conclusions, the European Council has a formal role to play in the EU's annual European semester process. This is the EU's yearly cycle of economic and fiscal policy coordination.
In its annual March meeting, the European Council assesses both the economic situation in the EU and progress towards the Europe 2020 targets. It then gives policy orientations on fiscal, economic and structural reforms. In its June meeting, the European Council endorses the final country-specific recommendations, which set out priorities for each member state for the next 12-18 months.
Under article 68 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU), the European Council is responsible for defining strategic guidelines for the area of freedom, security and justice.
This was put into practice for the first time with the latest guidelines, adopted in June 2014. They have been developed in line with the strategic agenda priorities and cover aspects such as border control, migration and asylum policy, and police and judicial cooperation.