EU General Affairs Council 14 June 2010

The General Affairs Council (GAC) shall ensure consistency in the work of different Council configurations. It shall prepare and ensure the follow-up to meetings of the European Council, in liaison with the President of the European Council and the Commission (Article 16(6) TEU).



Coordination, preparation and follow-up



Article 2 of the Rules of Procedure of the Council adds some detail to how the GAC is intended to coordinate policies and to prepare the European Council meetings, with a final GAC meeting within five days of a coming summit, as a rule preventing later discussion by other Council formations on items on the European Council’s agenda.

Even if the GAC tasks seem to cover all policy areas, it continues to meet in parallel with the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC). Thus, the coordinating role of the GAC is probably negligible with regard to the EU’s external action. (Cf. Article 2(5) of the Rules of Procedure.)

The GAC also follows up the guidelines, conclusions and decisions by the European Council.



GAC agenda 14 June 2010



The General Affairs Council will meet Monday, 14 June 2010 in Luxembourg, where the Council meetings take place three months annually.



The items on the agenda are:

Non-legislative activities

- European Council, Brussels, 17 June 2010

- EEAS [European External Action Service]

- Strategic Report of 2010 by the Commission on the Implementation of the Cohesion Policy Programmes (Presentation by the Commission; Council conclusions)

- Outermost Regions (Presentation by the Commission of the 2010 Forum for Outermost Europe, Brussels, 27/28 May 2010; Council conclusions)



Legislative deliberations

- European Citizens' Initiative (General Approach)

The European Council meets Thursday, 17 June 2010.




Ralf Grahn