The “General Affairs” Council is one of the earliest configurations of the Council and holds meetings on issues of General Affairs and Foreign Relations. All ministers of Foreign Affairs of Member-states participate in these meetings, which are usually held once a month. Ministers who are responsible for European Affairs, Defence, Development or Trade may also participate. An informal ministerial meeting (“Gymnich”) also takes place in the country of the Presidency (during the Portuguese Presidency, this meeting will be held on 7 and 8 September, in Viana do Castelo). Click here to know more about this meeting.

During its sessions on General Affairs, the Council deals with matters of an institutional nature that affect several of the Union’s policies, such as negotiations on EU enlargement, the preparation of the Union’s multi-annual budgetary perspectives or administrative issues. It coordinates the preparation and follow-up of the European Council’s sessions. It also exercises a role in the coordination of several political areas that are under the responsibility of the Council’s other configurations and manages all the files delivered by the European Council.

At its sessions on External Relations, the Council deals with the whole of the Union’s external action, including common foreign and security policy, European security and defence policy, foreign trade and development cooperation.

In recent years, one of the Council’s priorities has been, in cooperation with the Commission, to ensure coherence in the Union’s external action across the range of instruments at the Union’s disposal.

More information on GAER sphere of action:

- Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
- European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP)
- Development Cooperation
- Trade Policy
- Enlargement (see also Accession Process and Candidate Countries)