While the European Council has no formal legislative power, it is a strategic (and crisis-solving) body that provides the union with general political directions and priorities, and acts as a collective presidency. The European Commission remains the sole initiator of legislation, but the European Council is able to provide an impetus to guide legislative policy.

Essentially it defines the EU’s policy agenda and has thus been considered to be the motor of European integration. It does this without any formal powers, only the influence it has being composed of national leaders. Beyond the need to provide “impetus”, the Council has developed further roles; to “settle issues outstanding from discussions at a lower level”, to lead in foreign policy , “formal ratification of important documents” and “involvement in the negotiation of the treaty changes”.

At Brussels Model European Union 2015 participants in the European Council will incarnate the roles of heads of state and debate on the following topic:

“The implementation of the Eastern Partnership in the Southern Caucasus region”