The EU operates through a hybrid system of supranational independent institutions and intergovernmentally made decisions negotiated by the countries part of the Union (the Member States). Important institutions of the EU include the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Council, the Court of Justice of the European Union, and the European Central Bank.
The European Council used to refer to the regular bi-annual official meetings of the Council of the European Union and has become an institution with the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009. It is composed of heads of state and the President of the Commission. It sets the political agenda of the Union and gives impetus to integration. The European Council has gained executive power as the body to nominate the Commission President and High Representative for EU Foreign and Security Policy. The institution as a whole has been described as the highest political body of the European Union, it designs the political direction and priorities of the EU.
The European Council consists of the
• Heads of State or Government of the Member States,
• its President,
• the President of the Commission.
• the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy takes part in its work.
The European Council has no formal legislative power, it deals with major issues and any decisions made are “a major impetus in defining the general political guidelines of the European Union”. Beyond the need to provide “impetus”, the European Council has developed further roles; to “settle issues outstanding from discussions at a lower level”, to lead in foreign policy — acting externally as a “collective Head of State”, “formal ratification of important documents” and “involvement in the negotiation of the treaty changes”. It meets at least twice a year, usually in Brussels.
The President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy of Belgium, is elected for a once-renewable term of two and a half years. The President-in-Office is primarily responsible for preparing and chairing the Council meetings, and has no executive powers other than the task of representing the Union externally. The President must report to the European Parliament after each European Council meeting.