Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union

The secretary-general of the Council of the European Union heads the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. In October 2022, the Council appointed Thérèse Blanchet[1] as the Secretary-General of the Council for a five-year term, from 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2027.

Previously, the post holder was also the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy,[2] President of the European Defence Agency[3] and the Western European Union.[4] The Treaty of Amsterdam, which entered into force in 1999, created the office of the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and specified that the Secretary-General would occupy that position simultaneously. Javier Solana exercised both functions from 1999 until 2009. The Lisbon Treaty, which took effect on 1 December 2009, redefined the post of High Representative and again separated it from the office of Secretary-General of the Council.

As of 2010, the secretary-general's basic pay is equal to that of a top-tier civil servant: €17,697.68 per month.[5][6]

  1. ^ "Thérèse Blanchet appointed new Secretary-General of the Council". consilium.europa.eu. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Javier Solana". Council of the European Union. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  3. ^ "European Defence Agency". European Defence Agency. Archived from the original on 2007-07-01. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  4. ^ "Western European Union". Western European Union. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  5. ^ Base salary of grade 16, third step is €17,697.68: European Commission: Officials' salaries - accessed 19 March 2010
  6. ^ COUNCIL DECISION of 1 December 2009 laying down the conditions of employment of the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, EurLex