The European Council

Bringing together the Heads of State or Government, the European Council maps out the principal guidelines for the Union's internal and external policies.

The Bank helps to prepare the work of the European Council, and informs it of its contribution to furtherance of the Union's objectives and the possible expansion of these in line with economic needs.

Over the past few years, the European Council has regularly drawn on the Bank's ability to mount innovative operations in support of a variety of measures contributing to the Union's balanced development, including the “growth and employment” initiative launched in Amsterdam in June 1997, “Innovation 2000” formulated in Lisbon in March 2000 and the preparations for enlargement.