General Affairs Council
The General Affairs Council (RAA, including the General Council , English General Affairs Council , GAC) is the formation in the Council of the European Union , which is responsible for maintaining the coherence of the different Council formations. Its chairman is the foreign minister of the country that holds the council presidency .
The RAA is responsible for all policy issues that are not covered by other Council formations. It decides on questions of EU enlargement or on the multiannual financial framework, i.e. long-term EU budgetary policy . In the event of controversial questions, it also decides which other council formation is responsible. The meetings of the RAA are prepared by the Committee of Permanent Representatives II .
The RAA was re-established by the Lisbon Treaty in 2009 after the Common Foreign and Security Policy was outsourced from the remit of the old General Affairs and External Relations Council (RAA / AB). The new Council for Foreign Affairs has been responsible for these since then .
composition
The General Council is composed of a high-level representative from each Member State. In many cases this is the country's foreign minister ; however, some Member States also have their own European Ministers . However, it also happens that countries are only represented at individual meetings by a State Secretary or a high-ranking official, such as their permanent representative to the EU.
The council is headed by the representative of the country that holds the six-monthly rotating council presidency.
Individual evidence
- ↑ EurActiv , June 16, 2011: The next EU trio want the Prime Minister behind the wheel .
