European Council in a sentence

The European Council is comprised of the heads of state or government of the EU Member States, as well as the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.

Although the European Council has no direct legislative power, under the "emergency brake" procedure, a state outvoted in the Council of Ministers may refer contentious legislation to the European Council.

The beginning of September marked the official start of a pan-European initiative agreed upon by the European Council in 2018, to invest in creating a European network of national high-performance computing (HPC) competence centres.

European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker arrive to address a joint news conference during a European Union leaders informal summit in Brussels, Belgium, February 23, 2018.

Before the European Council summit Dec. 10-11, European Council President had accused Turkey of playing a cat-and-mouse game that has to stop.

It shall prepare and ensure the follow-up to meetings of the European Council, in liaison with the President of the European Council and the Commission.

The European Council was declared a separate institution from the Council, also chaired by a permanent president, and the different Council configurations were mentioned in the treaties for the first time.

Additionally, the European Council has set a task for the European Commission “to deal with the problems of Hungarians”, he added.

Current leaders including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel also jetted in to deliver keynote speeches on Wednesday.

European Council chief Charles Michel and other European leaders urged the incoming American president to keep on supporting Ukraine.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, left, and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba speak with the media as they arrive for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (L) and European Council President Charles Michel address a closing press conference after an EU summit in Brussels on Oct. 17, 2024.

Brexit has marked the end of Britain’s involvement in key institutions in Brussels including the European Parliament and the European Council.

But both institutions can be overruled by the European Council, the conclave of European leaders, where unanimity would be required to take away Orbán’s votings right, which could then open the door to sanctions.

Last week, the European Parliament voted to establish such a body, and member states should speak up now at the European Council discussions to make sure it is enshrined in law.

Merkel said that European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had reported on the state of negotiations.

The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and the European Council president Charles Michel at a news conference following a virtual summit with China on Monday.

Attendees include the G7 nations' heads of government plus the president of the European Commission (currently Jean-Claude Juncker, who will miss the Biarritz summit due to surgery) and the president of the European Council - presently Donald Tusk.

No telephone conversations are currently scheduled this week between Boris Johnson and European leaders in the lead up to the European Council meeting, said the PM's spokesman.

Almost 20 years after the Helsinki Summit (1999) when Turkey was given by the European Council the status of candidate country for the European Union, negotiations are stalled.