The work in practice at the Council
In practical terms, the MFF negotiations at the Council take place on four different levels. As negotiations progress, work is passed from technical experts to ambassadors, ministers and finally heads of state or government.
Click on the sections in the pyramid below to read more.
| European Council |
| members |
27 heads of state or government |
| chaired by |
Herman Van Rompuy |
| level |
highest political level |
| purpose |
- resolve all outstanding political issues, and reach an agreement on the key political elements of the MFF Regulation, own resources, and aspects of some of the sector-specific proposals which have important financial implications, on the basis of the "negotiating box";
- provide guidance to the Council for the further legislative work with the European Parliament.
|
| decision making rules |
unanimity |
| Council |
| members |
27 Member State ministers in charge of the items covered by the different Council configurations |
| chaired by |
rotating presidency |
| level |
second political level |
| purpose |
- the General Affairs Council prepares European Council meetings, it aims to align as much as possible the Member States' positions on a maximum amount of political issues covered by the "negotiating box" that were not resolved in Coreper, and to give guidance to the rotating presidency for the next steps to be taken;
- the specialised Council configurations aim to align as far as possible the Member States' views on the technical elements of the sector-specific proposals. Once the European Council has reached agreement on the political issues, the different Council configurations finalise the legislative work with the European Parliament in order to formally adopt the legal acts of the MFF package.
|
| decision making rules |
The adoption of the MFF Regulation and the own resources decision requires unanimity in the Council. For the other acts of the MFF package a qualified majority is required. |
| Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) |
| members |
27 Member States ambassadors to the EU |
| chaired by |
rotating presidency |
| level |
first political level |
| purpose |
- prepare discussions at the level of the Council and therefore align as far as possible the Member States' views on a maximum number of issues that were not resolved at working party level;
- give guidance to the rotating presidency for the next steps to be taken.
|
| decision making rules |
No formal decision on the MFF package is taken at this level |
| Working party |
| members |
experts from the 27 Member States |
| chaired by |
rotating presidency |
| level |
technical |
| purpose |
- provide the first technical analysis to increase understanding, clarify, comment, and work towards agreements on technical issues;
- the "Friends of the Presidency" working party covers the financial aspects of the MFF package;
- the working parties in charge of specific items deal with the technical elements of the MFF package.
|
| decision making rules |
No formal decision on the MFF package is taken at this level. |