The European Council in 2015. Overview of Decisions and Discussions

Please note: Each In-Depth Analysis is assigned a DOI (digital object identifier), which is a safe and long term way of ensuring a hyperlink to the full text of this report. However, when ESO creates this record, on occasion the DOI still has not been activated by the EU Bookshop. If you find the source url hyperlink does not work please use the alternative location hyperlink listed as a related url.Designed to be the first in a series of annual publications, this In-Depth Analysis by the European Council Oversight Unit of the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) examines in detail the activity of the European Council in 2015 in all of the six policy areas which have most attracted the attention of the Heads of State or Government:

+ migration
+ economic governance
+ foreign and security policy
+ terrorism
+ energy and climate
+ work towards a new settlement for the United Kingdom in the European Union.

Although European Council’s principal mission is meant to be strategic, in 2015 the institution mainly engaged in crisis management, due principally to the outbreak of the migration crisis. This led to an increase in the number of meetings: eight meetings of the Heads of State or Government were held, two of which were of an informal nature. Except for one informal meeting, the European Council President, Donald Tusk, reported to the European Parliament on the outcome of the meetings of the Heads of State or Government as required by the Treaties.

• Primary Source

European Parliament: Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union: Publications available via the EU Bookshop http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/directorate-general-for-internal-policies-of-the-union-cbf.cKABstF7wAAAEjwYYY4e5K/

European Parliament: European Parliamentary Research Service: In-Depth Analysis, July 2016: The European Council in 2015 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/581406/EPRS_IDA(2016)581406_EN.pdf

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