The Council of the European Union

What exactly is the Council of the European Union?

The Council of the European Union consists of the governments of the EU member countries. It is also called the Council of Ministers because not all members of the governments meet at once, but only individual ministers at a time. For example, all the Ministers for the Environment of one nation meet to debate the EU’s environmental policy.

Hard Facts

Members:
Ministers from the 27 member countries, each responsible for a certain topic of policy.

Ministers responsible in Germany:
Since December 2021: Steffi Lemke from the Alliance 90/The Greens (Environment) and Robert Habeck from the Alliance 90/The Greens (Climate)

Ministers responsible in Poland:
Since January 2018: Henryk Kowalczyk from the Law and Justice party (PiS) (Environment)

Since November 2019: Michał Kurtykafrom the Law and Justice party (PiS) (Climate)

Presidency:
Czech Republic
(1 July – 31 December 2022)

What does the Council of Ministers do?

Legislation:
The Council shares responsibility for an consistent European legislation. Although it cannot start its own legislative initiatives (these come from the Commission), it votes on the Commission’s proposals. The votes of the individual countries are weighted differently during the ballots. The larger the population, the more votes a country receives.

What else?
The Council of Ministers tasks also include approving the EU budget and concluding international treaties with countries outside the EU.

Find out what your country’s positions are on the environment and climate!

Open the position paper and take notes!

Did you know…

…that the chair of the Council rotates every half year between the member countries? During that period of presidency the member countries take over the organisational responsibilities and direct the terms of content.

Did you know…

… that on a European level only the Commission has the right of initiative, which means to propose new legislation and to finalise the process on level of the European Union.

German Minister for the Environment

Who am I?

You are the German Minister for the Environment. Your task is to represent the interests of your country. As the country with the strongest economy, Germany plays a leading role within the EU. In general you have a positive attitude toward the EU. However, you tend to reject bans and requirements for the economy.

What are your goals in climate and environmental policy?

To the point!

On the one hand, you know that protecting climate and environment is urgently necessary. On the other hand, you don’t want to harm your country’s economic power. Both, the automotive industry and the chemical industry, are important economic sectors for you. Your goal is therefore to make these industries more sustainable for the climate and environment through new technologies!

What does that mean exactly?

No precipitous energy transition!
You are relying on generous investments! Both the EU and the individual member states should spend a lot of money in the future on the development and expansion of renewable energies. However, you reject an immediate drop-out of the coal industry. This would cause increasing numbers for unemployment and enormous economic damage!

Environmental protection through economic growth!
Concerning the transformation to CO2-neutral mobility, you are against a policy of prohibition. Instead of banning climate-damaging vehicles, the development and spread of sustainable mobility should be financially supported by the EU. The EU should become the market leader in climate-neutral mobility!

Circular economy instead of waste of resources!
The EU’s throwaway economy needs to be put to an end! You want to establish a circular economy with EU-wide rules that focus on reuse, maintenance, repair and recycling.

No requirements for agriculture!
Fertilizers and pesticides must not be banned. The use of these substances is bad for the environment, but it is the only way to ensure that there are no crop shortfalls. The food supply of all EU-citizens is more important than the protection of the environment!

What to do with the arguments?

Please write down your arguments and have them ready for discussion!

Danish Minister for the Environment

Who am I?

You are the Danish Minister for the Environment. Your job is to represent the interests of your country. You tend to be critical towards the policy of the EU. Your country has the most special regulations of all member states, such as its own currency, and rejects European cooperation in some areas. However, the majority of people living in Denmark is in favour of the EU membership.

What are your goals for climate and environmental policy?

To the point!

You are very involved in climate and environmental policy for a good reason, because your country is nowhere more than 170 meters above sea level and is in danger of being flooded if the sea level continues rising! In climate and environmental policy, your goal is therefore binding cooperation between all EU member states.

What does that mean exactly?

Immediate energy transition!
You demand an immediate end to fossil fuel subsidies (= no more financial support) and a consistent coal and nuclear drop-out by all EU member states. To ensure that the energy supply can still be guaranteed, the development and expansion of renewable energies must be financially supported by the EU.

Advance the transport revolution!
All mobility in the EU must become CO2-neutral as quickly as possible. This requires generous investments. On the one hand, research into new technologies must be funded. On the other hand, the expansion of sustainable mobility, e.g. electric cars and Europe-wide train connections, should be subsidized (= financially supported).

Circular economy instead of wasting resources!
You want to establish a circular economy that focuses on reuse, maintenance, repair and recycling of products. Therefore, you demand that the EU invests in researching easily recyclable packaging materials.

Rethinking agriculture!
The use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers must be banned because they destroy our soils and poison the groundwater! To achieve this, we need binding laws instead of a voluntary commitment of the farmers.

What to do with the arguments?

Please write down your arguments and keep them ready for the discussion!

Spanish Minister for the Environment

Who am I?

You are the Spanish Minister for the Environment. Your task is to represent the interests of your country. You are ready to cooperate with other EU nations. The fight for social justice and the reconstruction of the Spanish economy are among your main goals.

What are your goals in climate and environmental policy?

To the point!

You take climate and environmental protection very seriously! You even want to become a pioneer in climate protection. It is particularly important to you that the measures also ensure greater social justice.

What does that mean exactly?

Immediate energy transition!
You are calling for an immediate end to subsidies for fossil fuels and a consistent drop-out of coal and nuclear power by all EU member states. To ensure that the energy supply can still be guaranteed, the development and expansion of renewable energies must receive strong financial support from the EU.

Driving forward the transport revolution!
All mobility in the EU must become CO2-neutral as quickly as possible. This requires generous investments. On the one hand, research into new technologies must be financed. On the other hand, the expansion of sustainable mobility, e.g. e-cars and Europe-wide train connections, should be subsidized (= financially supported).

Circular economy instead of wasting resources!
You want to establish a circular economy based on reuse, maintenance, repair and recycling of products. But not the EU nations, but the big companies that create the waste should be obliged to introduce the circular economy!

Rethinking agriculture!
The use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers must be banned because they destroy our soils and poison the groundwater! For this it needs obligatory laws instead of a voluntary obligation for the farm industry.

What to do with the arguments?

Please write down your arguments and keep them ready for the discussion!

Polish Minister for the Environment

Who am I?

You are the Polish Minister for the Environment. Your task is to represent the interests of your country. Generally speaking, you are rather sceptical about the EU. Polish politics in recent years has often emphasized the country’s sovereignty, so Poland has increasingly become an EU outsider.

What are your goals in climate and environmental policy?

To the point!

You see climate change as a threat to your country. Therefore, you generally support measures that benefit the climate and the environment. Yet, you are sceptical of a common climate and environmental policy. You don’t want to give up your sovereignty and only implement measures that you support!

What does that mean exactly?

Energy transition at your own pace!
In general, you support the energy transition, but you reject bans. You don’t want to simply have coal power banned! You therefore rely on investments in research and the expansion of renewable energies. As soon as these provide enough electricity, you are ready to abandon coal-fired power.

Transport turnaround through EU funding!
You also reject bans and quotas in the transition towards climate-neutral mobility. Instead, you rely on financial incentives for the development and spread of sustainable mobility. For example, the EU should fund research into hydrogen engines and support the expansion of an EU-wide train network.

EU-wide recycling system!
You want to establish a circular economy based on reuse, maintenance, repair and recycling of products. Therefore, you demand that the EU funds research into easily recyclable packaging materials.

No requirements for agriculture!
The use of fertilizers and pesticides must not be banned! It is bad for the environment, but a ban would disproportionately increase bureaucracy (= administration) in the EU. You are counting on agriculture to voluntarily reduce the use of environmentally harmful substances!

What to do with the arguments?

Please write down your arguments and have them ready for discussion!

Finnish Minister for the Environment

Who am I?

You are the Finish Minister for the Environment. Your job is to represent the interests of your country. You have a positive attitude towards the EU, so you are usually in favour of binding EU laws. Your country is considered progressive and pays a lot of attention to maintaining social justice.

What are your goals in climate and environmental policy?

To the point!

You are very ambitious when it comes to protecting the climate and the environment. Your country is already powered by 41% renewable energy. You also have a entitled interest in stopping climate change, because in Finland the average temperature is rising faster than in any other EU country!

What does that mean exactly?

Immediate energy transition!
You demand an immediate end to fossil fuel subsidies and a consistent coal and nuclear drop-out by all EU member states. To ensure that the energy supply can still be guaranteed, the development and expansion of renewable energies must be financially supported by the EU and by all member states.

Driving forward the transport revolution!
All mobility in the EU must become CO2-neutral as quickly as possible. This requires generous investments. On the one hand, research into new technologies must be funded. On the other hand, the expansion of sustainable mobility, e.g. e-cars and Europe-wide train connections, should be subsidized (= financially supported).

Circular economy instead of wasting resources!
You want to establish a circular economy based on reuse, maintenance, repair and recycling of products. But not the EU nations, but the big companies that create the waste should be obliged to introduce the circular economy!

Rethinking agriculture!
The use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers must be banned because they destroy our soils and poison the groundwater! For this it needs obligatory laws instead of a voluntary obligation of the farm industry.

What to do with the arguments?

Please write down your arguments and keep them ready for the discussion!

Swedish Minister for the Environment

Who am I?

You are the Swedish Minister for the Environment. Your job is to represent the interests of your country. Generally, you have a positive attitude towards the EU, but you are not always willing to give up national competences. Your country has long been governed by social democrats and is known for policies that strengthen both the welfare state and the economy.

What are your goals in climate and environmental policy?

To the point!

You believe that the world is in a climate crisis! Now the commitment of all people and nations is needed to stop climate change. The EU must also do its part and pass binding legislation that obliges member states to act.

What does that mean exactly?

Experiencing the energy transition as an opportunity!
For you, the energy transition is a must. For you, it is not a threat, but an opportunity. With the help of generous investments, the EU can manage to remain competitive in the field of renewable energies. This is also how the coal drop-out can be realized!

Driving forward the transport revolution!
All mobility in the EU must become CO2-neutral as quickly as possible. This requires generous investments. On the one hand, research into new technologies must be financed. On the other hand, the expansion of sustainable mobility, e.g. e-cars and Europe-wide train connections, should be subsidized (= financially supported).

Circular economy instead of wasting resources!
Your goal is to waste fewer valuable resources! You want to establish a circular economy based on reuse, maintenance, repair and recycling. Binding rules must be established for this. For example, you support an obligation to recycle plastic.

Rethinking agriculture!
The EU’s common agricultural policy must be revised so that only small organic farms receive financial support. However, you are against banning fertilizers and pesticides. The use of these means is bad for the environment, but it is the only way to ensure that there are no crop failures.

What to do with the arguments?

Please write down your arguments and have them ready for discussion!

Estonian Minister for the Environment

Who am I?

You are the Estonian Minister for the Environment. Your task is to represent the interests of your country. You have a contradictory attitude towards the EU. On the one hand, you are afraid of losing more and more individual decision-making powers to the EU. On the other hand, your country benefits greatly from its EU membership, both economically and in terms of foreign policy.

What are your goals in climate and environmental policy?

To the point!

You do not take a clear position on climate and environmental policy. On the one hand, you want to protect Estonian nature. On the other hand, Estonia covers its electricity needs by mining oil shale, which is transformed into shale oil through chemical conversion processes. This is environmentally harmful, but your country is dependent on this energy source and cannot simply reject it!

What does that mean exactly?

Energy transition at your own pace!
In general, you support the energy transition, but you reject bans. You don’t want to simply have the mining of oil shale banned! That’s why you rely on investments in research and the expansion of renewable energies. As soon as these provide sufficient electricity, you are prepared to abandon oil shale.

Transport turnaround through EU funding!
You also reject bans and quotas in the transition to climate-neutral mobility. Instead, you rely on financial incentives for the development and spread of sustainable mobility. For example, the EU should fund research into hydrogen engines and support the expansion of an EU-wide train network.

EU-wide recycling system!
You want to establish a circular economy based on reuse, maintenance, repair and recycling of products. Therefore, you demand that the EU fund research into easily recyclable packaging materials.

Make agriculture more sustainable!
The use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers must be banned because they destroy our soils and poison the groundwater! This requires binding laws and financial support for organic farms!

What to do with the arguments?

Please write down your arguments and have them ready for discussion!

Hungarian Minister for the Environment

Who am I?

You are the Hungarian Minister for the Environment. Your task is to represent the interests of your country. Your country is governed by a national conservative party (Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Federation) since 2010. You are very critical of the EU because you fear the loss of Hungary’s national sovereignty. Therefore, you mostly oppose binding EU regulations.

What are your goals in climate and environmental policy?

To the point!

In principle, your country supports measures to protect the climate and the environment. However, you expect that the financing of all measures will be taken over by financially strong countries. You also reject a flood of regulations and requirements because that would restrict Hungary’s sovereignty.

What does that mean exactly?

Energy transition at your own pace!
In General, you support the energy turnaround, but you reject bans. You don’t want to have coal power banned! You therefore rely on investments in research and the expansion of renewable energies. As soon as these provide enough electricity, you are prepared to abandon coal-fired power.

Transport turnaround without a ban policy!
You also reject bans and quotas in the transition to climate-neutral mobility. Instead, you rely on financial incentives for the development and spread of sustainable mobility. However, the EU should take over the financing!

No recycling obligation for sovereign nations!
You reject an EU-wide recycling system with binding regulations on waste disposal. Hungary is a sovereign country that can dispose its own waste management!

Maintain common agricultural policy!
Fertilizers and pesticides must not be banned. The use of these substances is harms the environment, but it is the only way to ensure that there are no crop failures. The food supply of all EU citizens is more important than the protection of the environment.

What to do with the arguments?

Please write down your arguments and have them ready for discussion!