How does the Council of the European Union represent member governments?

The Council of the European Union—often referred to as the Council of Ministers—represents the governments of the member states of the European Union by serving as the primary decision-making institution where ministerial representatives gather to approve legislation.12

The Council’s composition is flexible and changes based on the specific policy area under discussion; member governments send the relevant minister responsible for that topic to represent their national interests. For example, if the Council is debating agricultural policy, the ministers of agriculture from each member state will attend.1

Key aspects of how the Council functions include:
* Legislative Approval: All EU legislation requires the approval of the Council.1
* Rotating Presidency: The presidency of the Council rotates among member states every six months, with the presiding country managing the legislative agenda and chairing meetings.1
* Foreign Affairs Exception: Since the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, the Foreign Affairs Council is under the permanent supervision of the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy rather than the rotating presidency.1