The Presidency of the Council of the EU

About the Presidency of the Council of the EU

What’s the presidency of the Council of the EU

The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every 6 months. During this 6-month period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level in the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU's work in the Council.

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Programme and priorities

Luxembourg will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the twelfth time in the second semester of 2015. The Luxembourg Presidency has outlined an open approach: listen to citizens, support businesses, collaborate with partners and institutions in order to act in the interests of Europe.

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Who is Who

The members of the Luxembourg government will chair the meetings of the different Council configurations.

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Luxembourg Presidency logo

The government that was formed after the 2013 legislative elections has made the promotion of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg one of its priorities. For the Presidency of the Council, the logo designed to promote Luxembourg abroad has been adapted to put the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg at the heart of this Presidency.

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Meeting places

The European Convention Center Luxembourg is the location where will take place all informal ministerial meetings during the Presidency and the Council’s meetings in October 2015.

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Cultural programme

The Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union offers an ideal opportunity to (re)discover Luxembourg and its flourishing creative and cultural scene.

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Luxembourg Presidencies of the Council

For the twelfth time since 1958, Luxembourg will hold the Presidency of the Council from 1 July to 31 December 2015. A small country with inevitably limited means of action, the Grand Duchy has nevertheless been able to mediate between the major powers. There are many examples.

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Presidency partners

The partners of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European union.

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About the EU

EU institutions and bodies

The institutions and bodies of the European Union (EU), located in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg, manage and coordinate the work of the EU. Since the establishment of the Union, the number, size and influence of these institutions and bodies has evolved considerably.

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Council working groups

In its legislative work, the Council is supported by committees and working parties which prepare its work and decisions. The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union (Coreper) is the Council's main preparatory body. Coreper is supported by more than 150 highly specialised working parties and committees.

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European Union decision-making

The European Union was created in the wake of the Second World War to promote peace in Europe. Decision-making by agreement and/or consensus was therefore an overriding principle and is still reflected today in the legislative and decision-making processes and in the structures of the main EU institutions.

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The financing of the European Union

The EU has an annual budget of around €150 billion per year which represents around 1% of EU Member States Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

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The European Citizens' Initiative

Established under the Treaty of Lisbon, the European citizens' initiative (ECI) enables European citizens to invite the European Commission to propose legislation on matters where the EU has competence to legislate.

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Key dates for the EU

This page summarises the chronology of the construction of the EU and the key dates in its history.

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Council configurations

Council General Affairs

The General Affairs Council (GAC) is responsible for ensuring consistency in the work of all Council configurations. It prepares and follows up on meetings of the European Council.

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Foreign Affairs Council

The Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) deals with all aspects of the European Union’s external policy, but also Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), Foreign Trade Policy and Development Cooperation.

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Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin)

The Economic and Financial Affairs Council is commonly known as the Ecofin Council and is composed of the Member States’ Economics and Finance ministers. The Ecofin Council also brings together the ministers responsible for budget matters.

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The Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA)

The Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) deals with the European Union’s policies on crime, judicial cooperation, police cooperation and cooperation on immigration, borders and asylum issues.

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Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO)

The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) brings together ministers responsible for employment, social affairs, health and consumer policy from all EU member states.

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Competitiveness Council (COMPET)

The Competitiveness Council works to enhance competitiveness and increase growth in the EU. It deals with four major policy areas: internal market, industry, research and innovation and space.

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Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE)

The Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) looks at cooperation in these areas to develop coordinated networks and infrastructure which will benefit the internal market and the EU economy as a whole.

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Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRI)

The Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRI) deals with the European Union’s policies on agricultural issues, including the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), forestry and food safety. It also deals with the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and maritime affairs.

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Environment Council (ENV)

The Environment Council (ENV) is responsible for EU environment policy, including environmental protection, prudent use of resources and the protection of human health.

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Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (EYCS)

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

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Luxembourg and the EU

Luxembourg and Europe, from the ECSC to the Treaty of Lisbon

Luxembourg became one of the six founding members of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which would itself evolve to become the European Union we know today. Since then, Luxembourg has played and continues to act as a mediator and a force for ideas at the heart of the European Union, either as a Member State or through some of its leaders. But what seems obvious in 2015, was not necessarily so at other times.

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Luxembourg, European capital and seat of EU institutions

A host of European institutions or related services have their seat in Luxembourg or are based in part in the Grand Duchy. But which institutions exactly? And how and why has Luxembourg become the seat of European institutions alongside Brussels and Strasbourg?

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European Museum Schengen

The museum was opened in Schengen on the 13th June 2010, 25 years after the signing of the Schengen Treaty. The permanent exhibition on the history and significance of the Schengen Agreements shows visitors that the elimination of the control of persons at the internal borders put into practice one ot the four foundational European freedoms set down in the 1957 Treaty of Rome.

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Updated 16-06-2015