The Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (EYCS) deals with European Union policies on a wide range of issues. These include teaching and dissemination of languages, improving knowledge of the culture and history of the EU, encouraging mobility of students and teachers, vocational training in order to integrate citizens into the labour market, and stimulating artistic and literary creation. Its objective is also to preserve Europe's cultural heritage, support its cultural and creative industries, encourage mobility of students and teachers and promote physical activity and social inclusion through sport.

The policy areas covered by the EYCS Council are the responsibility of member states. The EU's role in areas of education, youth, culture and sport is therefore to provide a framework for cooperation between member states, for exchange of information and experience on areas of common interest. The Council mostly adopts incentive measures and recommendations. Nevertheless, the initiatives agreed by the Council, such as the Erasmus+ or Creative Europe programmes, can have a very direct impact on EU citizens.

The EYCS Council meets three or four times a year; twice in its full configuration.