Institutions common to all three pillars

The European Council brings together the Heads of State or Government of the Member States, along with the President of the Commission and the High Representative for CFSP, assisted by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and a member of the Commission. The European Council meets at least twice a year (and traditionally at the end of each Presidency). In actual fact, it has become the habit to convene it twice in every Presidency. The European Council is a core institution for the CFSP given that it notably defines its «principles and general guidelines». The Amsterdam Treaty also confers an enhanced guiding role upon it. For example, it is the European Council that adopts strategy documents such as the European security strategy.