European Council

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/european-council

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the institutional status?Formal institution established by the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009
2. What is the core function?Defines the overall political direction and general priorities of the European Union
3. Who are the members of the European Council?The council is made up of the heads of state or government of the 27 EU countries. It also includes the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs.
4. When did the European Council become a formal institution?It became a formal institution in 2009 when the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force.

Supranational Governance: A system where countries give up some power to a higher authority for collective decision-making.
Treaty of Lisbon: A foundational agreement that reformed the EU's institutions and decision-making processes.
Political Direction: The overall goals and strategies that guide the actions and policies of a political entity like the EU.