The European Council: Actor and Arena of Dominance?

The present report is a part of EU3D’s work on identifying problematic forms of differentiation internally in the EU (WP 2). Of particular relevance in that connection are those aspects of the EU’s distinct ‘differentiation configuration’ that are associated with dominance. This report’s focus on the European Council is a very welcome addition to this line of inquiry. The European Council has taken on a more central role in the ordinary workings of the EU system of governance, and the European Council plays a central role in crisis handling. It is therefore important to understand what this implies for the EU as a system of governance. The report is also very topical given that it assesses the EUCO’s role in three very recent crises and challenges facing the EU, namely the Covid-19 pandemic, the EU’s sanctions against Russia and the rule of law crisis.