This is alist of meetings of the European Council (informally referred to asEU summits); the meetings of theEuropean Council, aninstitution of theEuropean Union (EU) comprisingheads of state orgovernment ofEU member states. They started in 1975 as tri-annual meetings. The number of meetings grew to minimum four per year between 1996 and 2007, and minimum six per year since 2008. From 2008 to 2019, an average of seven council meetings per year took place. A record number of meetings (13) were held during 2020 - although mostly as informal video conferences; as the meeting frequency and format was changed this specific year by theCOVID-19 pandemic. Since 2021, an average of eight council meetings per year took place (see list below).
Since 2008, an annual average of two specialEuro summits were also organized in addition – and often in parallel – to theEU summits. As the agenda ofEuro summits is restricted solely to discuss issues for theeurozone and only invite political leaders of theeurozone member states, such meetings are not counted as European Councils. Neither are any of theTripartite Social Summits, that were held bi-annually since May 2021 between theEU Council presidency,Council President,Commission President and the European social partners at top management level (BusinessEurope,European Trade Union Confederation,SGI Europe,SMEunited and CEC European Managers).
The current practice is that meetings are always called and organized to the extent found needed by theEuropean Council president. The upcoming ordinary meetings are scheduled by the end of each semester, by the issuance of a call letter. In 2011-2020 meetings were scheduled and called for the third following semester (minimum one year in advance),[1] but this changed to minimum 6 months in advance for 2021-2023,[2] while meetings in 2024 were only called shortly before the first meeting of the specific semester in concern;[3] although they have again been called minimum one year in advance since 2025.[4]
The ordinary meetings can take form either as "scheduled ordinary meetings" (always resulting in a published document entitled "conclusions") or "informal ordinary meetings" (never resulting in a published document entitled "conclusions" - but instead often with a published document entitled "statement" or "declaration"). A called scheduled/informal ordinary upcoming meeting might occasionally be moved or cancelled within a short notice, with such change then being notified by the Council president through the issue of a revised calendar plan for the ordinary meetings within the semester in concern. If extra meetings are called outside the procedure of notification by an issued call letter for the upcoming semester in concern, meaning when they are called at short notice to be held within an ongoing semester, then they are referred to as "extraordinary meetings". The phrase "special meeting" is synonymously used for an "extraordinary meeting".
Extraordinary meetings can - just like the ordinary meetings - be held either in a formal or informal format. The list does not specify whether or not an extraordinary meeting was formal or informal, but this can be indirectly observed when checking the title of the published document summarizing the outcome of the meeting, as "conclusions" can only be published if the extraordinary meeting had a formal format.
The first seven summit meetings were held between 1961 and 1974, but this was before the formal establishment of the European Council. Some sources however consider them to be the informal seven first meetings of the European Council.[5]
| # | Year | Date | Type | EU Council presidency | President-in-Office | Commission President | Host city | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1975 | 10–11 March | ― | Liam Cosgrave | François-Xavier Ortoli | Dublin | [2] Inaugural formal Council | |
| 2 | 16–17 July | ― | Aldo Moro | Brussels | [3] | |||
| 3 | 1–2 December | ― | Rome | [4] EstablishedTREVI | ||||
| 4 | 1976 | 1–2 April | ― | Gaston Thorn | Luxembourg | |||
| 5 | 12–13 July | ― | Joop den Uyl | Brussels | [6] | |||
| 6 | 29–30 November | ― | The Hague | [7] | ||||
| 7 | 1977 | 25–27 March | ― | James Callaghan | Roy Jenkins | Rome | [8] | |
| 8 | 29–30 June | ― | London | [9] | ||||
| 9 | 5–6 December | ― | Leo Tindemans | Brussels | [10] | |||
| 10 | 1978 | 7–8 April | ― | Anker Jørgensen | Copenhagen | [11] | ||
| 11 | 6–7 July | ― | Helmut Schmidt | Bremen | [12] | |||
| 12 | 4–5 December | ― | Brussels | [13] | ||||
| 13 | 1979 | 12–13 March | ― | Valéry Giscard d'Estaing | Paris | [14] | ||
| 14 | 21–22 June | ― | Strasbourg | [15] | ||||
| 15 | 29–30 November | ― | Jack Lynch | Dublin | [16] |
| # | Year | Date | Type | EU Council presidency | President-in-Office | Commission President | Host city | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1980 | 17–18 April | ― | Francesco Cossiga | Roy Jenkins | Luxembourg | [17] | |
| 17 | 12–13 June | ― | Venice | [18] | ||||
| 18 | 1–2 December | ― | Pierre Werner | Luxembourg | [19] | |||
| 19 | 1981 | 23–24 March | ― | Dries van Agt | Gaston Thorn | Maastricht | [20] | |
| 20 | 29–30 June | ― | Luxembourg | [21] | ||||
| 21 | 26–27 November | ― | Margaret Thatcher | London | [22] | |||
| 22 | 1982 | 29–30 March | ― | Wilfried Martens | Brussels | [23] | ||
| 23 | 28–29 June | ― | Brussels | [24] | ||||
| 24 | 3–4 December | ― | Poul Schlüter | Copenhagen | [25] | |||
| 25 | 1983 | 21–22 March | ― | Helmut Kohl | Brussels | [26] | ||
| 26 | 17–19 June | ― | Stuttgart | [27] | ||||
| 27 | 4–6 December | ― | Andreas Papandreou | Athens | [28] | |||
| 28 | 1984 | 19–20 March | ― | François Mitterrand | Brussels | [29][30] | ||
| 29 | 25–26 June | ― | Fontainebleau | [31] Britishrebate agreed | ||||
| 30 | 3–4 December | ― | Garret FitzGerald | Dublin | [32] | |||
| 31 | 1985 | 29–30 March | ― | Bettino Craxi | Jacques Delors | Brussels | [33] Initiated the IGC leading to the Single European Act | |
| 32 | 28–29 June | ― | Milan | [34] | ||||
| 33 | 2–3 December | ― | Jacques Santer | Luxembourg | [35] | |||
| 34 | 1986 | 26–27 June | ― | Ruud Lubbers | The Hague | [36] | ||
| 35 | 5–6 December | ― | Margaret Thatcher | London | [37] | |||
| 36 | 1987 | 29–30 June | ― | Wilfried Martens | Brussels | [38] | ||
| 37 | 4–5 December | ― | Poul Schlüter | Copenhagen | [39] | |||
| 38 | 1988 | 11–13 February | ― | Helmut Kohl | Brussels | [40] | ||
| 39 | 27–28 June | ― | Hanover | [41] | ||||
| 40 | 2–3 December | ― | Andreas Papandreou | Rhodes | [42] | |||
| 41 | 1989 | 26–27 June | ― | Felipe González | Madrid | [43] | ||
| 42 | 18 November | Informal | François Mitterrand | Paris | [44] | |||
| 43 | 8–9 December | ― | Strasbourg | [45][46] European Council endorsesGerman reunification despite some Anglo-French opposition. |

| # | Year | Date | Type | EU Council presidency | President-in-Office | Commission President | Host city | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 1990 | 28 April | Extraordinary | Charles Haughey | Jacques Delors | Dublin | [47] | |
| 45 | 25–26 June | ― | Dublin | [48] | ||||
| 46 | 27–28 October | ― | Giulio Andreotti | Rome | [49] | |||
| 47 | 14–15 December | ― | Rome | [50] | ||||
| 48 | 1991 | 8 April | Informal | Jacques Santer | Luxembourg | [51] | ||
| 49 | 28–29 June | ― | Luxembourg | [52] | ||||
| 50 | 9–10 December | ― | Ruud Lubbers | Maastricht | [53] Signing of theTreaty of Maastricht | |||
| 51 | 1992 | 27 June | ― | Aníbal Cavaco Silva | Lisbon | [54] | ||
| 52 | 16 October | ― | John Major | Birmingham | [55] | |||
| 53 | 11–12 December | ― | Edinburgh | [56] | ||||
| 54 | 1993 | 21–22 June | ― | Poul Nyrup Rasmussen | Copenhagen | [57]Copenhagen criteria agreed | ||
| 55 | 29 October | ― | Jean-Luc Dehaene | Brussels | [58] | |||
| 56 | 10–11 December | ― | Brussels | [59] | ||||
| 57 | 1994 | 24–25 June | ― | Andreas Papandreou | Corfu | [60] Signing of the Accession Treaty of Austria, Finland, Sweden and Norway (Norway did not ratify) | ||
| 58 | 15 July | Extraordinary | Helmut Kohl | Brussels | [61] | |||
| 59 | 9–10 December | ― | Essen | [62] | ||||
| 60 | 1995 | 26–27 June | ― | Jacques Chirac | Jacques Santer | Cannes | [63] | |
| 61 | 22–23 October | Extraordinary | Felipe González | Majorca | ||||
| 62 | 15–16 December | ― | Madrid | [64] | ||||
| 63 | 1996 | 29 March | ― | Lamberto Dini | Turin | [65] | ||
| 64 | 21–22 June | ― | Romano Prodi | Florence | [66] | |||
| 65 | 5 October | Extraordinary | John Bruton | Dublin | ||||
| 66 | 13–14 December | ― | Dublin | [67] | ||||
| 67 | 1997 | 23 May | Informal | Wim Kok | Noordwijk | |||
| 68 | 16–17 June | ― | Amsterdam | [68] SignedTreaty of Amsterdam | ||||
| 69 | 20–21 November | Extraordinary | Jean-Claude Juncker | Luxembourg | [69] Extraordinary European Council on Employment | |||
| 70 | 12–13 December | ― | Luxembourg | |||||
| 71 | 1998 | 3 May | Extraordinary | Tony Blair | Brussels | Special Council on the Euro decides the 11 states which would enter the third stage ofEMU | ||
| 72 | 15–16 June | ― | Cardiff | [70] | ||||
| 73 | 24–25 October | Informal | Viktor Klima | Pörtschach | ||||
| 74 | 11–12 December | ― | Vienna | [71] | ||||
| 75 | 1999 | 26 February | Informal | Gerhard Schröder | Königswinter | |||
| 76 | 24–25 March | ― | Manuel Marin (Interim) | Berlin | [72] | |||
| 77 | 14 April | Informal | Brussels | |||||
| 78 | 3–4 June | ― | Cologne | [73]Details below table | ||||
| 79 | 15–16 October | Extraordinary | Paavo Lipponen | Romano Prodi | Tampere | [74] Special meeting on justice and home affairs | ||
| 80 | 10–11 December | ― | Helsinki | [75] |
| # | Year | Date | Type | EU Council presidency | President-in-Office | Commission President | Host city | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 81 | 2000 | 23–24 March | ― | António Guterres | Romano Prodi | Lisbon | [76] AgreedLisbon Strategy | |
| 82 | 19–20 June | ― | Santa Maria da Feira | [77] Agreement to allow entry of Greece to the Eurozone | ||||
| 83 | 13–14 October | Informal | Jacques Chirac | Biarritz | ||||
| 84 | 7–10 December | ― | Nice | [78] SignedTreaty of Nice | ||||
| 85 | 2001 | 23–24 March | ― | Göran Persson | Stockholm | [79] | ||
| 86 | 15–16 June | ― | Gothenburg | [80] Enlargement, sustainable development, economic growth and structural reform, in addition to an EU-US summit | ||||
| 87 | 21 September | Extraordinary | Guy Verhofstadt | Brussels | [81] Emergency council –Terrorism | |||
| 88 | 19 October | Informal | Ghent | [82] | ||||
| 89 | 14–15 December | ― | Laeken | [83] Details below table | ||||
| 90 | 2002 | 15–16 March | ― | José María Aznar López | Barcelona | [84] | ||
| 91 | 21–22 June | ― | Seville | [85] Decided to reorganise the Council formations to achieve greater focus and efficiency | ||||
| 92 | 24–25 October | ― | Anders Fogh Rasmussen | Brussels | [86] | |||
| 93 | 12–13 December | ― | Copenhagen | [87] | ||||
| 94 | 2003 | 17 February | Extraordinary | Costas Simitis | Brussels | Iraq crisis –Presidency conclusions | ||
| 95 | 20–21 March | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions | ||||
| 96 | 16 April | Informal | Athens | Signing of theTreaty of Accession 2003,[6] Declaration on IraqEuropean Convention | ||||
| 97 | 19–20 June | ― | Thessaloniki | Presidency conclusions of the June 2003 meeting | ||||
| 98 | 4 October | Extraordinary | Silvio Berlusconi | Rome | Beginning of IGC on EU Constitution | |||
| 99 | 16–17 October | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the October 2003 meeting | ||||
| 100 | 12–13 December | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the December 2003 meeting | ||||
| 101 | 2004 | 25–26 March | ― | Bertie Ahern | Brussels | Declaration on combating terrorism Presidency conclusions of the March 2004 meeting | ||
| 102 | 17–18 June | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the June 2004 meeting | ||||
| 103 | 4–5 November | ― | Jan Peter Balkenende | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the November 2004 meeting | |||
| 104 | 16–17 December | ― | José Manuel Barroso | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the December 2004 meeting | |||
| 105 | 2005 | 22–23 March | ― | Jean-Claude Juncker | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the March 2005 meeting | ||
| 106 | 16–17 June | ― | Brussels | Declaration on the ratification of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe Presidency conclusions of the June 2005 meeting | ||||
| 107 | 27 October | Informal | Tony Blair | London | Globalisation | |||
| 108 | 15–16 December | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the December 2005 meeting | ||||
| 109 | 2006 | 23–24 March | ― | Wolfgang Schüssel | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the March 2006 meeting | ||
| 110 | 15–16 June | ― | Brussels | Agreement to allow entry of Slovenia to theEurozone Presidency conclusions of the June 2006 meeting | ||||
| 111 | 20 October | Informal | Matti Vanhanen | Lahti | Meeting withVladimir Putin held inSibelius Hall | |||
| 112 | 14–15 December | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the December 2006 meeting | ||||
| 113 | 2007 | 8–9 March | ― | Angela Merkel | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the March 2007 meeting | ||
| 114 | 21–22 June | ― | Brussels | Agreement on basis for theTreaty of Lisbon Agreement to allow entry of Malta and Cyprus to theEurozone Presidency conclusions of the June 2007 meeting | ||||
| 115 | 18–19 October | Informal | José Sócrates | Lisbon | Agreement reached on theReform Treaty Discussedclimate change and thesubprime mortgage financial crisis.[7] | |||
| 116 | 14 December | ― | Brussels | Signature ofReform Treaty in Lisbon on 13/12 European Council in Brussels the next day Presidency conclusions of the December 2007 meeting | ||||
| 117 | 2008 | 13–14 March | ― | Janez Janša | Brussels | Agreed timeframe and principles of energy/climate change policy Presidency conclusions of the March 2008 meeting | ||
| 118 | 19–20 June | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the June 2008 meeting | ||||
| 119 | 13–14 July | Extraordinary | Nicolas Sarkozy | Paris | Barcelona process for the Mediterranean | |||
| 120 | 1 September | Extraordinary | Brussels | Extraordinary summit onEU-Russia relations (Georgia crisis)[8] Presidency conclusions of the September 2008 meeting | ||||
| ― | 12 October | Euro summit | Paris | Eurozone summit conclusions of October 2008 meeting | ||||
| 121 | 15–16 October | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the October 2008 meeting | ||||
| 122 | 7 November | Informal | Brussels | Informal summit on the2008 financial crisis Conclusions from meeting on the Global Financial Crisis | ||||
| 123 | 11–12 December | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the December 2008 meeting | ||||
| 124 | 2009 | 1 March | Informal | Mirek Topolánek | Brussels | Informal summit on the2008 financial crisis Conclusions of the Global Financial Crisis meeting on 1 March 2009 | ||
| 125 | 19–20 March | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the March 2009 meeting | ||||
| 126 | 5 April | Informal (EU-USA summit) | Jan Fischer | Prague | US PresidentBarack Obama in Prague Conclusions of the EU-USA relations meeting in April 2009 | |||
| 127 | 18–19 June | ― | Brussels | Icelandic application accepted Presidency conclusions of the June 2009 meeting Press conference video: 1 and2 | ||||
| 128 | 17 September | Informal | Fredrik Reinfeldt | Brussels | Preparation for the2009 G-20 Pittsburgh summit [9]Presidency conclusions of the September 2009 meeting Press conference video | |||
| 129 | 29–30 October | ― | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the October 2009 meeting Press conference video | ||||
| 130 | 19 November | Informal | Brussels | Chose the firstPresident of the European Council (Herman Van Rompuy) and the first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (Catherine Ashton) Presidency conclusions of the November 2009 meeting Press conference video | ||||
| 131 | 10–11 December | — | Brussels | Presidency conclusions of the December 2009 meeting,Minutes Press conference video: 1 and2 |
Since 2010, all formal (scheduled or extraordinary) European Council meetings have taken place inBrussels and been chaired by a permanentPresident, as introduced by theTreaty of Lisbon. In February 2010 the exact location was theSolvay Library, subsequent meetings took place at theJustus Lipsius building and since March 2017 at theEuropa Building.
| # | Year | Date | Type | EU Council presidency | Council President | Commission President | Agenda, Conclusions and Minutes | Press conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 132 | 2010 | 11 February | Informal | Herman Van Rompuy (1st term)[10] | José Manuel Barroso (2nd term) | Statement. | Video | |
| ― | 25 March | Euro summit | Statement. | |||||
| 133 | 25–26 March | Scheduled | Conclusions,Minutes | Video: 1 and2 | ||||
| ― | 7 May | Euro summit | Statement. | Video | ||||
| 134 | 17 June | Scheduled | Conclusions,Minutes | Video | ||||
| 135 | 16 September | Extraordinary (special) | Conclusions,Minutes,(note: the Ministers of Foreign Affairs were also present in this special European Council)[11] | Video | ||||
| 136 | 28–29 October | Scheduled | Conclusions,Minutes | Video: 1 and2 | ||||
| 137 | 16–17 December | Scheduled | Conclusions,Minutes | Video | ||||
| 138 | 2011 | 4 February | Scheduled | Conclusions,Minutes | Video | |||
| ― | 11 March | Euro summit | Statement. | Video | ||||
| 139 | 11 March | Extraordinary | Declaration on EU policy for actions in Libya and the Southern Neighbourhood region,Minutes | Video | ||||
| 140 | 24–25 March | Scheduled[12] | Conclusions,Minutes | Video: 1 and2 | ||||
| 141 | 23–24 June | Scheduled[12] | Website,Conclusions,Minutes andcorrigendum | Video: 1 and2 | ||||
| ― | 21 July | Euro summit | Statement. | Video | ||||
| 142 | 23 October | Scheduled | Conclusions,Minutes | Video | ||||
| ― | 23–26 October | Euro summit | Statement. | Video: 1Archived 22 April 2014 at theWayback Machine and2Archived 29 February 2012 at theWayback Machine | ||||
| 143 | 26 October | Informal | Website,Statement. | |||||
| 144 | 9 December | Scheduled[13] | Website,Conclusions,Minutes | Video: 1Archived 4 March 2012 at theWayback Machine and2Archived 11 January 2012 at theWayback Machine | ||||
| ― | 9 December | Euro summit | Statement | |||||
| ― | 2012 | 30 January | Euro summit | Agreed lines of communication. | ||||
| 145 | 30 January | Informal | Website,Statement on growth and jobs,Growth and competitiveness,Foreign policy issues,Fiscal discipline and convergence,Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance. | VideoArchived 4 February 2012 at theWayback Machine | ||||
| 146 | 1–2 March | Scheduled[14] | Website,Conclusions,Implementation of the European Semester,Fiscal Compact signed,Van Rompuy re-elected president,Minutes andcorrigendum | Video: 1Archived 6 March 2012 at theWayback Machine and2Archived 6 March 2012 at theWayback Machine | ||||
| ― | 2 March | Euro summit | Statement. | |||||
| 147 | 23 May | Informal[14] | Website 1 and2,Greece: euro area press lines,Tackling youth unemployment. | Video[permanent dead link] | ||||
| 148 | 28–29 June | Scheduled[14] | Herman Van Rompuy (2nd term)[10] | Website,Conclusions,Towards a genuine EMU (Council edition),European Council programme July 2012 to Dec.2014,Minutes | Video: 1Archived 22 April 2014 at theWayback Machine and2Archived 22 April 2014 at theWayback Machine | |||
| ― | 28–29 June | Euro summit | Statement | VideoArchived 1 July 2013 atarchive.today | ||||
| 149 | 18–19 October | Scheduled[15] | Website,Conclusions,Conclusions on completing EMU,Towards a genuine EMU (interim report),Statement on Greece,Minutes | Video: 1[permanent dead link] and2[permanent dead link] | ||||
| 150 | 22‑23 November | Extraordinary | Website,Statement on EU's Multiannual Financial Framework 2014–20,Minutes | VideoArchived 22 April 2014 at theWayback Machine | ||||
| 151 | 13–14 December | Scheduled[15] | Website,Conclusions,Conclusions on completing EMU,Towards a genuine EMU (final report),Agreed position on bank supervision (SSM),Minutes | Video 1 and2[permanent dead link] | ||||
| 152 | 2013 | 7–8 February | Scheduled[16] | Website,Conclusions,Multiannual Financial Framework. | VideoArchived 22 April 2014 at theWayback Machine | |||
| ― | 14 March | Euro summit | New procedure rules for Euro summits,Presidential Remarks | |||||
| 153 | 14–15 March | Scheduled[16] | Website,Conclusions. | Video: 1Archived 22 April 2014 at theWayback Machine and2 | ||||
| 154 | 22 May | Scheduled[16] | Website,Conclusions (Taxation and Energy),EC member numbers. | Video[permanent dead link] | ||||
| 155 | 27–28 June | Scheduled[16] | Website,Conclusions,EP in 2014–19,Genuine EMU. | Video: 1 and2 | ||||
| 156 | 24–25 October | Scheduled[17] | Website,Conclusions. | Video: 1 and2 | ||||
| 157 | 19–20 December | Scheduled[17] | Website,Conclusions,Security & Defense conclusions. | Video: 1[dead link] and2 | ||||
| 158 | 2014 | 6 March | Extraordinary | Website (EU stands by Ukraine),Statement on Ukraine. | Video and photo gallery | |||
| 159 | 20–21 March | Scheduled[18] | Website,Conclusions,Conclusions on Ukraine,EU sanctions against Russia,Signing of EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. | Video: 1 and2 | ||||
| 160 | 27 May | Informal[18] | Website,Statement on Ukraine. | Video[permanent dead link] | ||||
| 161 | 26–27 June | Scheduled[18] | Website,Conclusions,Conclusions on Ukraine,Strategic agenda for the Union,World War I commemoration,Signing of Association Agreements with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine[permanent dead link]. | Video[permanent dead link] | ||||
| 162 | 16 July | Extraordinary | Website,Conclusions,Conclusions on Ukraine and Gaza. | Video[permanent dead link] | ||||
| 163 | 30 August | Extraordinary | Website,Conclusions,Nomination of next European Council president and Foreign Affairs High Representative,Sanctions against Russia over Ukraine crisis. | Video: 1[permanent dead link] and2[permanent dead link],Ukrainian President 1a and1b | ||||
| 164 | 23–24 October | Scheduled[19] | Website,Conclusions,New Commission appointed,2030 climate and energy policy framework,EU response on Ebola. | Video: 1[permanent dead link] and2[permanent dead link] | ||||
| ― | 24 October[20] | Euro summit | Statement | |||||
| 165 | 18 December | Scheduled[19] | Donald Tusk (1st term)[21] | Jean-Claude Juncker | Website,Conclusions,Crimea and Sevastopol: further EU sanctions. | Video[permanent dead link] | ||
| 166 | 2015 | 12 February | Informal[22] | Website,Results of the informal meeting,Statement on the fight against terrorism,Next Steps on Better Economic Governance in the Euro Area(analytical note),Remarks about Ukrainian ceasefire. | Video[permanent dead link],Ukrainian ceasefire agreement[permanent dead link] | |||
| 167 | 19–20 March | Scheduled[22] | Website,Conclusions,Energy Union,Relations with Russia,European Semester 2015,Statement on Tunisia,Statement on Greece. | Video: 1[permanent dead link] and2[permanent dead link] | ||||
| 168 | 23 April | Extraordinary | Website,Statement,10 point action plan to combat Mediterranean migratory pressures,Minutes | Video[permanent dead link] | ||||
| — | 22 June[23] | Euro summit | Website,Presidential remarks 1 and2 | Video[permanent dead link] | ||||
| 169 | 25–26 June | Scheduled[22] | Website,Conclusions,European Fund for Strategic Investments,Completing Europe's Economic and Monetary UnionArchived 11 October 2018 at theWayback Machine. | Video: 1[permanent dead link] and2[permanent dead link] | ||||
| — | 7 July[24] | Euro summit | Website,Preparing Eurogroup meeting,Presidential Remarks | Video[permanent dead link] | ||||
| — | 12 July | Euro summit | Website,Eurogroup meeting,Presidential Remarks,Statement | Video[permanent dead link] | ||||
| 170 | 23 September | Informal | Website,Presidential Remarks,Statement | VideoArchived 25 September 2015 at theWayback Machine | ||||
| 171 | 15 October | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | |||||
| 172 | 12 November | Informal | Website,Presidential Remarks | |||||
| 173 | 17‑18 December | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | |||||
| 174 | 2016 | 18‑19 February | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 175 | 17–18 March | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions,Minutes andcorrigendum | |||||
| 176 | 28 June | Scheduled(postponed due toBrexit Referendum) | Website,Conclusions,Minutes | |||||
| 29 June | Informalwithout UK | Website,Statement | ||||||
| 177 | 16 September | Informalwithout UK | Website,Declaration and Roadmap | |||||
| 178 | 20–21 October | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | |||||
| 179 | 15 December | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | |||||
| 180 | 2017 | 3 February, a.m. | Informal | Website,Statement and remarks | ||||
| 3 February, p.m. | Informalwithout UK | Website: "Main results: Preparations for the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaties" | ||||||
| 181 | 9 March | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions by the President,Minutes | |||||
| 10 March | Informalwithout UK | Website: "Informal meeting" | ||||||
| 182 | 29 April | Extraordinarywithout UK | Website,European Council (Art. 50) guidelines for Brexit negotiations,Minutes | |||||
| 183 | 22–23 June | Scheduled | Donald Tusk (2nd term)[21] | Website,Annotated agenda,Conclusions | ||||
| 22 June, evening | Extraordinarywithout UK | Website,Annotated agenda,Decision by Heads of State and Government:Procedure leading up to a decision on the relocation of the EMA and the EBA in the context of the UK's withdrawal from the Union | ||||||
| 184 | 19–20 October | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | |||||
| 20 October | Extraordinarywithout UK | Website | ||||||
| 185 | 17 November | Informal | Website | |||||
| 186 | 14–15 December | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | |||||
| 15 December[25] | Euro Summit | Website,Presidential Remarks | ||||||
| 15 December | Extraordinarywithout UK | Outcome: guidelines for Brexit negotiations | ||||||
| 187 | 2018 | 22–23 March | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 23 March | Scheduledwithout UK | Website | ||||||
| 23 March | Euro Summit | Website | ||||||
| 188 | 28–29 June | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | |||||
| 29 June | Extraordinarywithout UK | Conclusions | ||||||
| 29 June | Euro Summit | Website,Statement | ||||||
| 189 | 19–20 September | Informal | Website | |||||
| 20 September | Informalwithout UK | Website | ||||||
| 190 | 17 October | Extraordinarywithout UK | Website | |||||
| 18 October, a.m. | Scheduled | Website | ||||||
| 18 October, p.m. | Euro Summit | Website | ||||||
| 191 | 13–14 December | Scheduled | Website | |||||
| 13 December | Extraordinarywithout UK | Website | ||||||
| 14 December | Euro Summit | Website,Statement | ||||||
| 192 | 2019 | 21 March | Extraordinarywithout UK | Website,European Council Decision (EU) 2019/476 taken in agreement with the United Kingdom of 22 March 2019 extending the period under Article 50(3) TEU,Conclusions | ||||
| 22 March | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||||
| 193 | 10 April | Extraordinarywithout UK | Website,European Council Decision (EU) 2019/584 taken in agreement with the United Kingdom of 11 April 2019 extending the period under Article 50(3) TEU,Conclusions | |||||
| 194 | 9 May | Informal | Website | |||||
| 195 | 28 May | Informal | Website | |||||
| 196 | 20 June | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | |||||
| 21 June | Euro Summit | Website,Statement | ||||||
| 21 June | Extraordinarywithout UK | Website (see heading "Brexit") | ||||||
| 197 | 30 June–2 July | Extraordinary | Website,Conclusions (nominations for President of the European Council, President of the Commission, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and President of the European Central Bank) | |||||
| 198 | 17 October | Extraordinarywithout UK | Website,Conclusions | |||||
| 17–18 October | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||||
| 199 | 12–13 December | Scheduled | Charles Michel[26] | Ursula von der Leyen (1st term)[27] | Website,Conclusions | |||
| 13 December | Euro Summit | Website,Statement | ||||||
| 13 December | Extraordinarywithout UK | Website,Conclusions |
| # | Year | Date | Type | EU Council presidency[28] | Council President | Commission President | Agenda, Conclusions, Declarations, Statements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | 2020 | 20–21 February | Extraordinary | Charles Michel | Ursula von der Leyen (1st term) | Website | |
| 201 | 10 March | Extraordinary (Informal video conference) | Website | ||||
| 202 | 17 March | Extraordinary (Informal video conference) | Website | ||||
| 203 | 26 March | Informal (informal video conference - replacing scheduled meeting) | Website,Statement | ||||
| 204 | 23 April | Extraordinary (Informal video conference) | Website | ||||
| 205 | 19 June | Informal (informal video conference - replacing scheduled meeting) | Website | ||||
| 206 | 17–21 July | Extraordinary | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 207 | 19 August | Extraordinary (Informal video conference) | Website | ||||
| 208 | 1–2 October | Extraordinary | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 209 | 15–16 October | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 210 | 29 October | Extraordinary (Informal video conference) | Website | ||||
| 211 | 19 November | Extraordinary (Informal video conference) | Website | ||||
| 212 | 10–11 December | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| ― | 11 December | Euro summit | Website,Statement | ||||
| 213 | 2021 | 21 January | Extraordinary (Informal video conference) | Website | |||
| 214 | 25–26 February | Extraordinary (Informal video conference) | Website,Statement | ||||
| ― | 25 March | Euro summit (Informal video conference) | Website,Statement | ||||
| 215 | 25–26 March | Informal (Informal video conference - replacing scheduled meeting) | Website,Statement | ||||
| ― | 7 May | Tripartite Social Summit | Website,Statement | ||||
| 216 | 7–8 May | Informal | Website,Declaration | ||||
| 217 | 24–25 May | Extraordinary | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 218 | 24–25 June | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| ― | 25 June | Euro summit | Website,Statement | ||||
| 219 | 5 October | Informal | Website | ||||
| ― | 20 October | Tripartite Social Summit | Website,Main Messages | ||||
| 220 | 21–22 October | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 221 | 16 December | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| ― | 16 December | Euro summit | Website,Statement | ||||
| 222 | 2022 | 17 February | Informal | Website | |||
| 223 | 24 February | Extraordinary | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 224 | 10–11 March | Informal | Website,Declaration | ||||
| ― | 23 March | Tripartite Social Summit | Website,Main messages | ||||
| 225 | 24–25 March | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 226 | 30–31 May | Extraordinary | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 227 | 23–24 June | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| ― | 24 June | Euro summit | Website,Statement | ||||
| 228 | 7 October | Informal | Website,Remarks | ||||
| ― | 19 October | Tripartite Social Summit | Website,Main messages | ||||
| 229 | 20–21 October | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 230 | 15 December | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 231 | 2023 | 9 February | Extraordinary | Website,Conclusions | |||
| ― | 22 March | Tripartite Social Summit | Website,Main Messages | ||||
| 232 | 23 March | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| ― | 24 March | Euro summit | Website,Statement | ||||
| 233 | 29–30 June | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 234 | 6 October | Informal | Website,Declaration | ||||
| 235 | 17 October | Extraordinary (video conference) | Website,Statement | ||||
| ― | 25 October | Tripartite Social Summit | Website,Main Messages | ||||
| 236 | 26–27 October | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| ― | 27 October | Euro summit | Website,Statement | ||||
| 237 | 14–15 December | Scheduled | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 238 | 2024 | 1 February | Extraordinary[29][30] | Website,Conclusions | |||
| ― | 20 March | Tripartite Social Summit | Website,Main Messages | ||||
| 239 | 21–22 March | Scheduled[31][32] | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| ― | 22 March | Euro summit | Website,Statement | ||||
| 240 | 17–18 April | Extraordinary[33][34] | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 241 | 17 June | Informal | Website | ||||
| 242 | 27 June | Scheduled[31][32] | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 243 | 17 October | Scheduled[35] | Website,Conclusions | ||||
| 244 | 7–8 November | Informal | Website,Declaration | ||||
| 245 | 19 December | Scheduled[35] | António Costa | Ursula von der Leyen (2nd term) | Website,Conclusions | ||
| 246 | 2025 | 3 February | Informal (EU-UK defence meeting)[36] | Website | |||
| 247 | 6 March | Extraordinary (EU defence & Ukraine)[37] | Website,Conclusions,Ukraine support | ||||
| ― | 19 March | Tripartite Social Summit | Website,Main Messages | ||||
| ― | 20 March | Euro summit | Website,Statement | ||||
| 248 | 20 March | Scheduled[38] | Website,Conclusions,Ukraine support | ||||
| 249 | 26–27 June | Scheduled[38] | Website | ||||
| 250 | 19 July | Extraordinary(Ukraine) | Website | ||||
| 251 | 1 October | Informal | Website | ||||
| 252 | 23–24 October | Scheduled[39] | Website | ||||
| 253 | 18–19 December | Scheduled[39] | Website | ||||
| 254 | 2026 | 19–20 March | Scheduled[40] | ||||
| 255 | 18–19 June | Scheduled[40] |
The European Council met inCologne, Germany, on 3–4 June 1999 to consider issues after theTreaty of Amsterdam came into force.Romano Prodi presented his plan for the futureCommission's work and reform program. The Council called for anEU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The Council designatedJavier Solana for the post of Secretary-General of theCouncil of the European Union (withPierre de Boissieu as his deputy) andHigh Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). It decided on a common policy on Russia (first use of the CFSP). Adopted the declaration on Kosovo. In relation to theEuropean Security and Defence Policy, a major element of the CFSP, the council declared that the EU "must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed up by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them, and a readiness to do so, in order to respond to international crises without prejudice to actions by NATO".
The 2001 meeting of the European Council was held in the Swedish city ofGothenburg, from 14 to 16 June.
The EU Summit focused uponEU enlargement,sustainable development, economic growth and structural reform issues. The EU–US summit included a visit by U.S. presidentGeorge W. Bush on 14 June. It was the first U.S. presidential visit to Sweden, and was intended as an opportunity to discuss differences on climate negotiations,WTO and Middle East issues with the EU leaders. It was marred by extensive demonstrations.
The main protests were organised by three broadcoalitions, a local coalitionBush Go home that opposedU.S. foreign policy, a Sweden-based coalitionNetwork Gothenburg 2001 which opposed Swedish membership in the EU andEMU and an international coalitionGothenburg Action 2001, a proponent of "another Europe", opponent of EU militarisation, theSchengen Agreement, and defending the public sector and the environment from becoming trade commodities and EMU. There was also a broad Iranian and a smaller anti-capitalist coalition as well as non-violent networks andReclaim the Streets organising demonstrations and a street party.
According to the police, more than 50,000 demonstrators gathered in Gothenburg during the three days of the summit,[41] among them a smaller number with foreign nationality. The demonstrating organisations arranged many conferences, the biggest conference (besides, of course, the EU summit itself) beingFritt forum (Free Forum) which hosted 50 lectures and seminars and was funded by the city of Gothenburg, the Swedish justice department and Sweden's foreign ministry department among others.[41] The summit was guarded by approximately 2500 police officers.[42]
Besides a number of encounters and skirmishes there were a number of riots. The first one occurred on 14 June after the police had surrounded and enclosed theHvitfeldtska gymnasiet where demonstrators had been invited by the city to stay during the summit. The second occurred in the morning of 15 June in conjunction with a demonstration of 2000 participants organised by the anti-capitalist organisation, and it resulted in violent clashes with the police and damage of Gothenburg's main streetKungsportsavenyn. Later in the evening during the Reclaim the City demonstration, a police unit came under attack by demonstrators throwing projectiles. The police subsequently fired shots at the demonstrators. Three persons were injured by gunshots, one of whom was seriously injured.[43] This was the first use of firearms against Swedish demonstrators since theÅdalen shootings in 1931.
The riots were followed by prison sentences for 64 persons convicted of criminal behaviour. In total demonstrators were sent to prison for almost 50 years. As of 2006, no police officer has been convicted of wrongdoing during the summit. One officer was tried and convicted for committing perjury during a trial against a Gothenburg demonstrator.[citation needed]
The riots left large areas of central Gothenburg demolished due to the violent protests of the demonstrators, as well as leaving many stores looted.[43][44]

The summit meeting of the European Union was notable becauseheads of states from the EU gathered in Gothenburg, and also because the American PresidentGeorge W. Bush visited Sweden for the first time on the day before the summit meeting. As a reaction to this, protesters from all over the world planned to gather in Gothenburg to demonstrate under different banners. The City of Gothenburg assisted the out-of-town protesters by providing living quarters in different schools around Gothenburg and aconvergence center, first atHvitfeldtska gymnasiet and later moved to Schillerska Gymnasiet.
The political background to the protests was a conjuncture of three forces. EU-criticism and opposition to membership in the EU was stronger in Sweden than anywhere else in the union. Secondly a wave ofglobalisation protests againstneoliberalism had gained momentum after the protests during the EU Summit inAmsterdam 1997 and theWTO meeting in Seattle 1999.Anti-war and environmental concerns against the U.S. was a third factor.
The police planned and gathered their forces in anticipation of the meeting. Never before had this many heads of state met in Sweden, and thousands of police were to stand guard in Gothenburg to keep order during these three days of June 2001. The police had long prepared for disturbances and also had many differentintelligence services directed at the groups participating in the planning of demonstrations. There were differing opinions amongst the police forces involved. The security police did not want the Hvitfeldtska gymnasiet to be used as they felt it was too close to the EU Summit while the Gothenburg police insisted on having the demonstrators there. American police tactics against protesters were in use such as apsycho-tactic unit that was supposed to have a dialogue with demonstrating organisations.
The police, the local authority and the different demonstration coalitions had arranged a dialogue group where they planned and discussed the demonstrations to ensure they would be as peaceful as possible.
The officers in command of the action stated that they were very pleased with how the police had served during the summit (an opinion which at the time was shared by the government). It was claimed that the police successfully had used advance information about demonstrators and undercover police officers among the demonstrators to among other things find out about the "secret" information central.
According to the police, they acted completely in accordance with the Police Law.
TheSwedish Police Union strongly criticised the way the police actions had been led and managed.[45] In its report"Chaos" – regarding the Command in Gothenburg in June 2001 it is stated that a majority of the police who were on duty during the time felt they did not have enough resources to carry out their duties in a proper manner and that orders were confusing.[45]
Statistics:
The total sum of the sentences following the riots during the EU summit was roughly 50 years in prison, which according to the journalistErik Wijk is 12 times more than earlier riots.[47] No police were convicted despite a large number of complaints.[citation needed]
One of the most noticed cases is the so-called information central, which was stormed byNationella insatsstyrkan during the first day of the summit. A total of eight persons (five men, three women) were sentenced to long prison sentences after having sent out text messages urging people to go to Hvitfeldtska gymnasiet in connection with the police shutdown of the school.[citation needed]
The police officer in charge for the EU summit,Håkan Jaldung [sv], was accused in a trial of preventing about 100 people at the Schillerska from leaving the place for several hours, but was found innocent.[48]
Göteborgsaktionen ("The Gothenburg Action") involved 87 organisations out of whom 33 were Swedish, 22 Danish, 9 Finnish, 5 Norwegian, 4 European and some other mainly from different Eastern European countries.Nätverket Göteborg ("The Gothenburg Network") involved over 20 organisations.
The Laeken European Council was held at the royal palace atLaeken,Belgium, on 14–15 December 2001.
The Laeken European Council dealt with:
The Laeken Declaration on the Future of Europe established theEuropean Convention, presided over with former President of France,Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, as President of the convention, and former Italian Prime MinisterGiuliano Amato and former Belgian Prime MinisterJean-Luc Dehaene as Vice-Presidents. The convention was tasked with drafting theTreaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, and would have about 60 members, drawn from national governments, national parliamentarians, theEuropean Parliament, and theEuropean Commission, and include representatives from the candidate countries. The declaration reviews the progress of European integration over the last fifty years, tracing it back to its origins in the horrors of World War II, and poses a number of questions to be answered by the convention.[49][50]