Last European Parliament plenary session under the Belgian Presidency

from 13 December 2010 to 16 December 2010
09:00 - 23:00

This December 14th and 15th Olivier Chastel, Secretary of State for European Affairs, will travel to Strasbourg to represent the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU at the plenary session of the European Parliament.

The Secretary of State will speak on the recent agreement on rating agencies and on the results of the Climate Change Conference in Cancun. These discussions will take place on Tuesday afternoon.

During the plenary session on December 15th, Olivier Chastel will speak on behalf of the Council as part of the priority debate on the next European Council on the topic of financial stability. There will then be a debate on the Citizen Initiative, a file that is very important to the Secretary of State. The Citizen Initiative rules will then be approved by European Deputies. The Secretary of State will also attend the Sakharov Prize award ceremony that will recognise a person or organisation for their distinguished work in the struggle against oppression and injustice.

Along with the President of the European Parliament, Olivier Chastel will sign, for the last time, legislative acts passed in co-decision by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. Among these acts are the rules on pharmacovigilance, the directive instituting a community code on medicinal products, the rules governing the EU’s financial contribution to the International Fund for Ireland, etc.

The Secretary of State will hold his traditional press point early Wednesday afternoon (the exact time will be provided on-site). A press conference on the Citizen Initiative will also be held on Wednesday and will be attended by the policy’s main negotiators.

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Aurélie Czekalski
Spokesperson
Aurelie.czekalski@diplobel.fed.be
+32 497 432 698

Decision-making process

Council of the EU:
The Council decides

The Council decides on legislative proposals. This takes place in accordance with normal legislative procedure, in consultation with the European Parliament. The Council meets in various configurations. There have been ten council configurations since the Treaty of Lisbon came into effect. Each council configuration deals with a number of fixed areas and is comprised of the authorised national ministers. Every minister in the Council is authorised to enter into agreements on behalf of their government. Each council configuration – except for the Foreign Affairs Council, which is chaired by the High Representative – is chaired by the member state currently presiding over the rotating six month role.
European Parliament:
The European Parliament decides

The European Parliament has various commissions. They prepare the contents of the recommendations for the legislative proposals. The European Parliament, together with the Council, accepts legislative proposals from the European Commission. Since the Treaty of Lisbon came into effect, the procedure whereby both institutions decide on the vast majority of the areas on an equal footing (normal legislative procedure) has been applicable. In this normal legislative procedure, both institutions must approve the legislative proposal in question. The European Parliament can accept, reject or change the content of legislative proposals.
Council working groups and the COREPER:
The council working groups and the COREPER prepare

The council working groups and the Permanent Representatives Committee prepare the Council activities. They attempt to prepare the ground as much as possible for a compromise. There is therefore a long and intensive preparation before every Council meeting. The member state chairing the Council presides over the Coreper and the bulk of the council working groups.
European Commission:
The European Commission draws up new legislative proposals

The European Commission draws up legislative proposals that it presents to the Parliament and the Council. These proposals must protect the interests of the EU as a whole. The Commission is comprised of 27 members. Each member state therefore nominates one member. The College of Commissioners meets every week on Wednesday mornings in Brussels. In these meetings they discuss each point on the agenda and then make a collective decision. Each member of the Commission can request a vote. The European Commission decides by normal majority.

Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

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