ABSTRACT
The European Council has, to a large extent, replaced the commission as the motor of the Community. However, since 1990, when two additional 'emergency' summits were held, it has been accepted that there may, in fact, be three, four or even more meetings of the European Council each year. On the debit side, however, is the undoubted fact that the existence of regular summit meetings actually slows down decision-making on many less far-reaching issues which would otherwise be resolved at a lower level. This was especially notable during the period 1974-81, when president Valery Giscard d'Estaing and chancellor Helmut Schmidt cooperated to playleadership role. Under the Lisbon treaty, the European Council now has a permanent president, elected by its members for a renewable term of two and a half years, to preside over its meetings and coordinate its work. The Single European Act, adopted in December 1985, gave legal recognition to the European Council without, however, defining its powers.
