What are the main bodies of the EU?
The Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers (made up of ministers from national governments). The Council is the EU’s most important decision-making body. Its main task is to approve European laws. A government minister from each member country sits on the Council each time it meets. Member countries send different ministers depending on the subject being discussed. For example, Britain usually sends its Agriculture Minister when the Council is discussing agriculture. Sometimes a minister from the Scottish Executive or Welsh Assembly represents Britain. Most Council meetings are held in Brussels.
Every three months, the Presidents and Prime Ministers of
the EU’s member countries go to summit meetings, where
they are usually assisted by their Foreign Ministers. These
are known as European Councils, and their job is to set
down the guidelines for the EU’s work over the months
ahead and to take the most important decisions.