Download (4Mb)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
COUNCIL GUIDE Internal document I. Presidency Handbook ,, '· -February 2001 - General Secretariat DG F - Information, Transparency and Public Relations Notice This booklet, which has been prepared by the General Secretariat of the Council, does not commit either the Community institutions or the governments of the Member States. For further information, please contact the Information, Transparency and Public Relations Division at the following address: General Secretariat of the Council Rue de Ia Loi/Wetstraat 175 B-1 048 Brussels Fax (32-2) 285 53 32 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://ue.eu.int ~·· A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu.int). Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2002 ~·. ISBN 92-824-1650-X © European Communities, 2002 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Italy r '·· FOREWORD The complexity of the tasks facing the Council means that Council working methods need to be redefined reg ularly. In order to facilitate the work of the Presidency and of the delegations, the Council introduced systemat ic planning of meetings from the end of 1988 and initi ated publication by the General Secretariat of a Presi dency vade-mecum. The entry into force of the Treaty on European Union made the organisation of proceedings even more complex: consequently, the Council instruct ed the Secretary-General to draw up a genuine hand book covering all Council activities, the Council Guide. This second edition of the Council Guide presented by the General Secretariat was compiled under its sole responsibility; it has no legal force and is an internal doc ument intended solely as an aid for the Presidency and Member State delegations. The guide covers the whole range of Council activities. It consists of four sec tions, each published separately. The first section - the Presidency Handbook - continues the operation begun with the Presidency vade-mecum and sets out in a practical context the arrangements concerning the preparation and running of a Presidency. The second section consists of Comments on the Council's Rules of Procedure, reflecting the current interpretation of that text in practice. The third section - the Delegates' Handbook - contains practical information on the planning and running of meetings, the internal organisation of the Gener al Secretariat and the services provided for delegates. The fourth section - the Co-decision Guide - explains the new co-decision procedure resulting from the changes brought about by the Treaty of Amsterdam. My wish, in making this version of the Council Guide available to those iqvolved in the work of our institution, has been to satisfy the request voiced by the Coun cil and to contribute towards efforts to ensure information and transparency. Any suggestions concerning the content of this guide will be welcome. Secretary-General/High Representative Javier Solana CONTENTS Part I Presidency Handbook Part II Comments on the Council's Rules of Procedure Part III Delegates' Handbook Part IV Co-decision Guide Foreword . • . • . • . • . III Part I. Presidency Handbook . • . • . • . • . • . • . 1 Chapter I - General . • . • . • . • . 3 1. Sources . • . • . • . • . • . 3 2. There is one Presidency . • . • . • . • . • . 4 3. The Presidency is neutral . • . • . • 5 4. The Presidency deploys national resources . 6 5. The Presidency is always in the hands of the Council . 6 6. The General Secretariat of the Council • . • . • . • . • . • 7 (a) The Secretary-General/High Representative for the common foreign and security policy . 7 (b) The Deputy Secretary-General . • . • . • . • . 8 (c) The General Secretariat . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . 8 Chapter II - Getting ready for the Presidency . 11 1. Timetable of meetings • . • . 11 2. Changes to the timetable • . • . • . • . • . • . 11 3. Planning of work - preparing indicative agendas • . • . 12 4. The machinery of the Presidency . • . • . 14 5. Travel expenses incurred by delegates of Council members • . • . 16 Chapter III - How the decision-making process works . • . • . • . 17 1. Working parties . • . • . • . • . 17 2. The General Secretariat . • . • . • . • . • . 19 3. Coreper .....•.•..•.•.•..•.•.. , . • . 20 (a) The provisional agenda . • . 21 (b) Preparation for Coreper . • • . • . • . • . 22 (c) Conduct of meetings • . • . 24 (d) The outcome...................................... 24 4. The Council . • . • . • . • 25 (a) The agenda . • . • . • . 26 v (b) Preparations . • . 28 (c) Access to the Council chamber . 28 (d) The Council proceedings . • . • . 29 (e) Voting . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . 31 (f) Written procedure . • . • . 33 (g) Publication of votes • . • . • . • . • . • . • . 34 (h) The outcome of Council meetings . • . • . • . 35 5. Informal meetings of ministers . 36 (a) Characteristics of informal meetings . 36 (b) Logistics . • . • 37 6. The European Council . • . • . • . • . • . • • . • . • . • . • . • . 37 (a) Preparation . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • 37 (b) Role of the Secretariat . 37 (c) Presidency conclusions . • . • . • . 38 Chapter IV - The Presidency's relations with the other institutions . 39 1. The European Parliament . • . • . 39 (a) Presentation of the programme - general debates - visits by Heads of State . • . • . 39 (b) Plenary sittings . 39 (c) Involvement in committees . 40 (d) 'LUNS' and 'Westerterp' procedures . • . 41 (e) Meetings of the trialogue . 41 (f) Co-decision procedure . 42 (g) Other contacts . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . 42 (h) Delegations and joint parliamentary committees in the context of agreements with non-member States . 42 2. The European Commission . • . 42 3. The Court of Justice . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . 42 4. The Court of Auditors . • . 42 5. The Economic and Social Committee . • 42 6. The Committee of the Regions . • . 42 Chapter V- The Union's external relations . 45 1. The role of the Council and the Presidency in general . • . • . 45 2. The administration of international agreements concluded by the Community . • . • . • . 46 (a) Composition of mixed bodies . • . • . • . • . • . 46 (b) Spokesman . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . 47 (c) Defining the Community position . • . • • . • . • . • . 48 (d) The holding of meetings • . • . • . • • • • . • . • . • • . 48 3. Community participation in international organisations and conferences . • . • . • . • . •. • . • . • . • . 49 (a) The World Trade Organisation (WTO) . 50 VI (b) The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) and commodities organisations and conferences . SO (c) The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) . • . • . • . • . • . • . 51 (d) The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) • . • . • . 51 (e) The Council of Europe . • • . 52 (f) The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea . 52 (g) The International Labour Organisation (ILO) . 52 (h) Fisheries . • . • . • . • . • . 52 (i) Conventions on environmental matters . • . • . • . 53 4. Conduct of political dialogue . • . • . 54 5. Specific arrangements relating to the CFSP . • . • . • . • . 55 (a) The Presidency . • . • . 55 (b) Working parties . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . 55 (c) The Political Committee/Political and Security Committee . 58 (d) The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) and the European Union Military Staff (EUMS) . • . 59 (e) The General Affairs Council . • . • . • . • . • . 60 (f) Relations with the European Parliament . • . • . • . • . • . 60 (g) Cooperation between diplomatic and consular missions . 60 (h) International organisations and conferences • . • . • . • . • . • 61 Chapter VI - Specific arrangements for JHA (police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters) 63 1. Working parties . • . • . 63 2. Article 36 Committee . • • . • . 63 3. The JHA Council . • . • . • . • . • . 64 4. Relations with the European Parliament . • . 65 5. Relations with non-member States . 65 Chapter VII - Protocol and logistics . 67 1. Accreditation of ambassadors from non-member States to the Community . • . 67 2. Meals and functions . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • • • • . • . 68 (a) Meals at Council meetings . • . • . • . • . • . • . • • . • . 68 (b) Larger functions • . • . • . • . ..