The Council of the European Union
After visiting the Council of the European Union, I gained a greater understanding and appreciation of the work the institution does. The Council is comprised of ministers from the 28 member states. Different committees exist within the Council, and only the Council has legislative decision-making power concerning deliberation of EU initiative. Every six months, the member state holding the presidency of the Council changes. The presidency dictates which country’s ministers chair the meetings, and gives individual member states a chance to push their national agendas at the EU level. Public perception of the Council is minimal as it is one of the least politicized institutions of the EU. As a deliberative power, the Council is less affected by public perception and more-so concerned with the goals of member states. I greatly enjoyed exploring the building of the Council, as well as the famous Europa building.
