Minutes of the first meeting of the Commercial Affairs Committee, held in Luxembourg on 29 November 1952. Established by the Council Decision of 10 September 1952, and given the task of considering questions related to the transitional provisions, this committee remained in office as a ‘Permanent Technical Subcommittee’ when the Coordination Committee (Cocor) was established. It was, therefore, the first ‘Technical Committee’ established within the Council.

At the end of its first meeting, held in Luxembourg on 29 November 1952, the Commercial Affairs Committee forwards to the ECSC Special Council of Ministers a report on the negotiations with GATT. With these negotiations, the ECSC Member States aim to secure the exemptions from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade required for the establishment of a Common Market.

On 7 February 1953, pursuant to Article 10 of the provisional Rules of Procedure of the Council, the ECSC Special Council of Ministers decides to establish a Coordination Committee (Cocor) to be responsible for the preparation of Council meetings, as well as for carrying out studies and work entrusted to it by the Council.

On 3 March 1953, Christian Calmes, Secretary-General of the Special Council of Ministers of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), forwards the agenda for the first meeting of the Coordination Committee (Cocor) to Max Kohnstamm, Secretary of the High Authority. Responsible for preparing Council meetings, this Committee is seen as the predecessor of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) to the Councils of the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom).

Minutes of the first meeting of the Coordination Committee (Cocor) of the ECSC Special Council of Ministers, held in Luxembourg on 5 March 1953. The minutes are approved at the meeting held on 17 April.

In this interview, André Dubois, former Head of Division at the Secretariat of the Council of the European Economic Community (EEC), recalls the establishment of the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) and outlines its composition and its role.

List of the first members of Coreper appointed in 1958 as Permanent Representatives of their States to the European Economic Community (EEC) and to the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom).

In this interview, Charles Rutten, former Permananet Representative of the Netherlands to the European Communities, recalls the personality and the work of the first two Permanent Representatives of the Netherlands, Johannes Linthorst Homan and Dirk Spierenburg.

Farewell address delivered by Jean-Marc Boegner, Permanent Representative of France to the European Communities from 1961 to 1972. The diplomat emphasises the importance of the work of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) and outlines the Committee’s relations with the Commission and with the General Secretariat of the Council.

Farewell address delivered by Eugenio Plaja, Permanent Representative of Italy to the European Communities from April 1976 to September 1980. The diplomat emphasises the role of Coreper as the ‘basis of the structure of the Council’.

Address delivered by Nicolas Hommel, Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities from 1973 to 1980, in June 1976 at the end of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council in honour of Jean Dondelinger, Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the European Communities from 1975 to 1984. In his address, Nicolas Hommel outlines the Ambassador’s efforts to improve the efficiency of Coreper and restore its influence on national governments.

On 2 October 1980, a few days before retiring from his post of Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities, Nicolas Hommel delivers an address on the occasion of the 1000th meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper). In his address, he gives an assessment of his time as Secretary-General and praises the crucial role of Coreper, describing it as the ultima ratio and the ‘pivotal instrument’ of the Council.

In this interview, Charles Rutten, former Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the European Communities, discusses the role of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) in the decision-making process of the Council.

In this interview, Charles Rutten, former Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the European Communities, discusses the role of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) in the decision-making process of the Council.

In this interview, Charles Rutten, former Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the European Communities, considers the differences in the operation and the nature of the work of Coreper in the 1960s and in the 1980s.

This note from the Archives Department sets down for the record the establishment, in November 1975, on a proposal from Paolo Massimo Antici, President-in-Office of the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper), of the Coreper Preparatory Group, also known as the ‘Antici Group’.

Address delivered by Nicolas Hommel, Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities from 1973 to 1980, on 1 March 1978 in Brussels on the occasion of the departure of Paolo Massimo Antici, Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy. In his address, Nicolas Hommel pays tribute to Mr Antici’s work in the service of the Community and recalls the circumstances in which the ‘Antici Group’, a procedural innovation named after the Italian diplomat, was institutionalised.

On 4 March 2003, with a view to the enlargement of the European Union to include ten new Member States, the Antici Group submits to Coreper a draft Code of Conduct aimed at improving the efficiency of the preparations for and conduct of meetings of the Council and its preparatory bodies.

On 25 April 2005, at the meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council, Javier Solana, Secretary-General of the Council/High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), talks to Martine Schommer, Permanent Representative of Luxembourg and President-in-Office of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper II).

Interactive diagram showing how the preparatory work of the Council is organised within working parties, committees and Coreper before a final decision is taken at ministerial level.

This programme, broadcast on 29 May 2005 during the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union, describes the preparatory work of the Council carried out by its working parties and by Coreper before final decisions are taken at ministerial level. The programme includes an interview with Martine Schommer, Permanent Representative of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to the European Union.

Published in the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung on 21 December 2006, shortly before the beginning of the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union, this article outlines the daily work of Ambassador Wilhelm Schönfelder and the other officials of the German Permanent Representation to the European Union in the Council’s preparatory bodies, particularly in Coreper.

On 18 March 1958, the Council of the European Economic Community (EEC) adopts the rules governing the Monetary Committee. Established by Article 105 of the EEC Treaty, the Monetary Committee is responsible for keeping under review the monetary and financial situation of Member States and of the Community, as well as the general payments system of the Member States, and must report regularly thereon to the Council and to the Commission.

Presentation of the composition, tasks and activities of the Monetary Committee, published in 1960 in the initial review of the activities of the Councils of the European Communities.

The Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA), which is responsible for preparing decisions of the ‘Agriculture’ Council, is established by a decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Economic Community on 12 May 1960.

On 8 February 1971, in Brussels, the Chairman of the Medium-term Economic Policy Committee, the Chairman of the Budgetary Policy Committee, the Chairman of the Short-term Economic Policy Committee and the Chairman of the Monetary Committee attend a meeting of the Council in its Economic and Financial Affairs configuration.

On 8 February 1971, in Brussels, the Chairman of the Monetary Committee and the Chairman of the Committee of Governors of the Central Banks attend a meeting of the Council in its Economic and Financial Affairs configuration.

On 18 February 1974, the Council of the European Communities decides to merge the activities of the Short-term Economic Policy Committee, the Budgetary Policy Committee and the Medium-term Economic Policy Committee by setting up a single Economic Policy Committee. The new Committee is responsible for promoting coordination of EC Member States’ short- and medium-term economic policies.

This press release, issued on the occasion of the 1000th meeting of the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) held on 31 October 1995 in Brussels, recalls the origins and outlines the duties of the Committee.

On 31 December 1998, on the eve of the beginning of the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union, the Council adopts the Statutes of the Economic and Financial Committee. The tasks of this Committee, set up by Article 114 (ex Article 109c) of the Treaty establishing the European Community, are to keep under review the economic and financial situation of the Member States and of the Community, as well as the general payments system of the Member States, and to report regularly thereon to the Council and to the Commission.

General view of the conference room at the first meeting of the Economic and Financial Committee, held on 18 January 1999 in Brussels.

Jean Lemierre, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Committee, at the Committee's first meeting, held on 18 January 1999 in Brussels.

On 29 September 2000, the Council modifies the statutes of the Economic Policy Committee in order for them to reflect the new institutional environment created by the entry into the third stage of economic and monetary union.

On 18 February 2003, the Council of the European Union establishes a Financial Services Committee which is responsible for reporting to the Economic and Financial Committee with a view to the drafting of opinions for the Ecofin Council.

Jan Willem Oosterwijk (left), Chairman of the Economic Policy Committee, at an Ecofin Council meeting held on 3 June 2003 in Luxembourg.

Günther Grosche, Secretary of the Economic and Financial Committee (left), and Caio Koch Weser, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Committee, at a Euro Group meeting held on 20 October 2004 in Luxembourg.

In this interview, Charles Rutten, former Director-General of Political Affairs in the Netherlands Foreign Ministry and former Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the European Communities, considers the role of the Political Committee in connection with European Political Cooperation.

431st meeting of the Political Committee of the Council, held on 4 October 2000. General view of the conference room.

431st meeting of the Political Committee of the Council, held on 4 October 2000 in Brussels. Seats at the conference table reserved for the Presidency and the General Secretariat of the Council.

On 14 February 2000, the Council decides to establish an Interim Political and Security Committee. This Committee will be responsible for dealing with the day-to-day affairs of the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and for drafting recommendations on the future operation of the common European security and defence policy (ESDP). This Decision will apply until the permanent bodies of the common European policy in this field are established.

On 14 February 2000, the Council decides to set up an Interim Military Body, composed of the representatives of the Chiefs of Defence of the Member State armies, who will be responsible for delivering military opinions. This Decision will apply until the permanent bodies of the common European policy in the field of security and defence are established.

On 2 March 2000, the Luxembourg daily newspaper Tageblatt announces that the interim Political and Security Committee of the European Union met the previous day for the first time in Brussels.

On 22 May 2000, in its efforts to strengthen the common foreign and security policy (PESC) and, in particular, the European security and defence policy (ESDP), the Council sets up a Committee for civilian aspects of crisis management. The Committee is to operate as a Council working party and report to the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper).

This document, submitted to the Council following the Coreper meeting of 22 November 2000, outlines the role and the functions of the Political and Security Committee (PSC).

On 22 January 2001, pursuant to Article 25 of the Treaty on European Union, the Council sets up a Political and Security Committee (PSC) with special responsibility for keeping track of the international situation in the areas falling within the scope of the common foreign and security policy (CFSP), for helping to define policies and for monitoring the implementation of agreed policies.

On 22 January 2001, the Council establishes the European Union Military Committee (EUMC), which is composed of the Chiefs of Defence, represented by their military representatives, and is responsible for making recommendations and giving military opinions to the Political and Security Committee (PSC) on all military matters within the European Union. The EUMC is the forum for military consultation and cooperation between the Member States of the European Union in the field of conflict prevention and crisis management.

Following the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam and the incorporation of visas, asylum and immigration issues into the Community system, the K4 Committee becomes the Article 36 Committee, and a new committee, the Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum (SCIFA), is established in order to ensure the coordination of the preparatory work of the Council in this policy area, henceforth falling under the first pillar. In a note dated 22 February 2000, the Council of the European Union considers the role and future activities of this Committee.

In a note sent to the Multidisciplinary Group on Organised Crime (MDG) on 22 December 2000, three years after it was first established, the Presidency of the Council of the European Union considers the future role of the MDG and suggests some areas for discussion.

In a note dated 20 December 2001, the General Secretariat of the Council analyses the working parties which operate in the field of justice and home affairs (JHA), their rationalisation and a possible reduction in their number.

In a note dated 21 January 2002, the General Secretariat of the Council sets out the conclusions of the meeting of the Antici Group held on 14 January 2002 concerning the reorganisation of working parties in the field of justice and home affairs (JHA).