The Council of Ministers - 2nd Edition

The Council of Ministers provides a comprehensive analysis of the Council of Ministers: how it works, its varied activities, functions, and its relationships with the other key EU institutions and the member states. It is a key legislative institution which lies at the fulcrum of decision-making in the European Union.

Introduction PART 1: WHO DOES WHAT? National Representatives Decide: The Ministers in Council Officials Prepare the Ground: The Preparatory Bodies Bureaucrats Organise and Advise: The Council Secretariat Taking Turns at the Wheel: The Presidency PART II: WITH WHOM? Overlapping Competences: The Council and the European Council Competition and Cooperation: The Council and the Commission An Evolving Partnership: The Council and the European Parliament Not Just Governments: The Council and the Member States PART III: HOW? Less Often than Expected: Voting in the Council Compromise and Consensus: Negotiation and Bargaining in the Council Conclusions