Ministerial Council

The key task of the Ministerial Council is to ensure that the objectives set out in the Treaty establishing the Energy Community are attained. The Council:

• adopts new laws and decides on the Energy Community’s overall direction and priorities;
• approves the Secretariat's budget and work programme;
• adopts Procedural Acts, which may include the conferral of specific tasks and powers to carry out Energy Community policy on the other institutions.

It is also the Ministerial Council that decides on the accession of new Observers or Contracting Parties to the Treaty. 
 

The Ministerial Council brings together government ministers responsible for energy from each Energy Community Contracting Party and the European Union, usually represented by the European Commissioner for Energy and a high-level representative of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Presidency of the Ministerial Council rotates among each Contracting Party every twelve months.  The Presidency can convene the Ministerial Council in a place of its choice. Generally, this has been the capital of the country holding the Presidency. The Presidency chairs the Ministerial Council and prepares its agenda. In this role, it is assisted by the European Union and the incoming Presidency as Vice-Presidents.   

For the period from 1 January to 31 December 2026, Kosovo* holds the Presidency in Office of the Energy Community.

In the Energy Community, each Party to the Treaty has one vote.

Whilst decisions are generally taken by consensus, the majority required to adopt a proposal depends on the Treaty base under which the measure was proposed.

A Decision adopted by the Ministerial Council is legally binding in its entirety upon those to whom it is addressed. A Recommendation has no binding force. However, Parties shall use their best endeavours to carry out the Recommendation.