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The European Council and the Council of the European Union are two different EU institutions that

have similar names but distinct roles and memberships. The European Council is the body of leaders

(heads of state or government) of the 27 EU member states that defines the EU’s general political

direction and priorities1. The European Council does not adopt EU legislation, but rather sets the

agenda and gives guidance to the other EU institutions1. The Council of the European Union,

informally known as the Council, is composed of national ministers from each EU member state,

grouped by policy area1. The Council is one of the two legislative bodies of the EU, along with the

European Parliament, and negotiates and adopts EU laws, coordinates member states’ policies, and

develops the EU’s common foreign and security policy1. The key difference between the two

institutions is that the European Council is comprised of the heads of each EU member state, while

the Council of the European Union is comprised of the ministers of each EU member

state12. Reference: European Council | Council of the European Union, What is the difference

between EU Council, Council of the European Union, and Council of Europe?

Reference: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-European-Council-theCouncil-of-the- European-Union-and-the-Council-of-Europe