Transparency of Council proceedings

Article  16(8) of the Treaty on European Union and Article  15(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) require the Council to meet in public when considering and voting on a draft legislative act. Article  15(3) TFEU requires the EU institutions to ensure in their Rules of Procedure that their proceedings are transparent.

Council public sessions may be watched via webcast. Minutes and details and explanations of EU countries' votes in such sessions are also available to the public.

Access to Council documents is governed by Regulation (EC) No  1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. The Council, like the other EU institutions, must make public a register of documents.

SEE ALSO

• Coreper (Committee of Permanent Representatives)
• Council of the European Union
• European governance
• Transparency (access to documents)
• Access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (summary)
• Transparency and access to documents on the Council of the European Union's website