Herman Van Rompuy President of the European Council (official decision)

Here is the official version of one of the implementing decisions regarding the Lisbon Treaty, taken under the Swedish presidency of the EU Council.





EUROPEAN COUNCIL DECISION of 1 December 2009 electing the President of the European Council (2009/879/EU) has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU 2.12.2009 L 315/48).

Mr Herman Van Rompuy has been elected, and his term in office is from 1 December 2009 to 31 May 2012.

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President’s tasks

According to the Lisbon Treaty, Article 15(5) TEU the term is two and a half years, renewable once.

The tasks of the President of the European Council are outlined in Article 15(6) TEU:

6. The President of the European Council:

(a) shall chair it and drive forward its work;

(b) shall ensure the preparation and continuity of the work of the European Council in cooperation with the President of the Commission, and on the basis of the work of the General Affairs Council;

(c) shall endeavour to facilitate cohesion and consensus within the European Council;

(d) shall present a report to the European Parliament after each of the meetings of the European Council.

The President of the European Council shall, at his level and in that capacity, ensure the external representation of the Union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy, without prejudice to the powers of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The President of the European Council shall not hold a national office.

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More information on the new institutional arrangements (implementing decisions) will follow on Grahnlaw.


Ralf Grahn



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