The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is the highest political body of the European Union which meets around four times a year. It comprises the heads of state or government of the Union's member states along with the President of the European Commission. Its meeting is chaired by the member from the member state currently holding Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

While the Council has no formal executive or legislative powers (it is a body, not an institution, of the Union), it deals with major issues and decisions taken are "a major impetus in defining the general political guidelines of the European Union". The Council meets at least twice a year; usually in the Justus Lipsius building, the quarters of the Council of the European Union (Consilium) of Brussels. This body should be distinguished from the separate bodies of Council of the European Union, which is the ministerial level meeting of national governments, and the Council of Europe, which is a non-EU organisation of 47 states dealing with human rights.