The European Council in 2016 : overview of decisions and discussions

This In-Depth Analysis by the European Council Oversight Unit of the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) is the second in a series of annual publications examining the activity of the European Council. In 2016, the Heads of State or Government devoted most of their attention to three policy areas: migration; foreign and security policy; and economic governance, competitiveness and trade. The publication also considers the impact of the United Kingdom referendum vote on the proceedings of the European Council, both procedurally (EU-28 and EU-27 meetings) and thematically (policy priorities and debates on the future of a Europe-at-27). The European Council has carried out its strategic, deliberative, and follow-up roles throughout the year. This was particularly notable when it dealt with migration, which attracted 50 % of the attention of the Heads of State or Government, as shown in the conclusions of their debates. The European Council President, Donald Tusk, continued to report to the European Parliament on the outcomes of the European Council meetings, as required by the Treaties.