What it does

Chairing the Council of the EU involves

• acting in an executive capacity, undertaking the planning, organising, coordinating and chairing of meetings of the Council and its preparatory bodies, as well as the various EU meetings, including intergovernmental conferences.
• acting as mediator by steering discussions in order to reach consensus and by finding compromise solutions on issues between Member States, as well as managing crises.
• representing the Council at meetings with other EU bodies, in particular with the European Parliament and the European Commission. In this context, the Presidency is responsible for promoting initiatives aiming to advance European integration, as well as the smooth functioning of the EU’s institutions and ensuring continuity and consistency in European policy.
• concluding international agreements on behalf of the Union.
• acting in close cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Council for efficient preparation within the Council