This is how the Council works
The Government represents Sweden in the Council of the European Union, which is often called the Council of Ministers or simply 'the Council'. The Council meets at three levels: civil servants in working groups, ambassadors in Coreper and ministers at Council meetings.
Council of the European Union
The Council of the European Union, often referred to as the Ministerial Council or simply 'the Council', is the European Union's highest decision-making body. It consists of a government representative from each Member State who is empowered to make binding decisions on behalf of its government. The Council meets in nine different configurations depending on the subject to be dealt with. The Presidency of the Council rotates between the Member States.
Coreper
The Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) is responsible for preparing Council meetings at ministerial level. All issues must pass through Coreper before they can be included on the agenda for a Council meeting. Coreper meets in two configurations, Coreper II and Coreper I, dealing with different subject areas.
Working groups and committees
Council working groups and committees are responsible for preparing all the items before they are referred to Coreper and finally to ministerial level. There are currently about 160 working groups and committees consisting of civil servants from Member States, usually from the ministries or the permanent representations in Brussels.
