Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union

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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]

List of secretaries-general[edit]

No. Portrait Secretary-General Took office Left office Time in office Country
1
Christian Calmes
Calmes, ChristianChristian Calmes
(1913–1995)
9 September 195214 June 197320 years, 278 days Luxembourg
2
Nicolas Hommel
Hommel, NicolasNicolas Hommel1 July 19737 October 19807 years, 98 days Luxembourg
3
Niels Ersbøll [da]
Ersbøll, NielsNiels Ersbøll [da]
(born 1926)
8 October 198031 August 199413 years, 327 days Denmark
4
Jürgen Trumpf
Trumpf, JürgenJürgen Trumpf
(1931–2023)
1 September 199417 October 19995 years, 46 days Germany
5
Javier Solana
Solana, JavierJavier Solana
(born 1942)
18 October 19991 December 200910 years, 44 days Spain
6
Pierre de Boissieu
Boissieu, PierrePierre de Boissieu
(born 1945)
1 December 200926 June 20111 year, 207 days France
7
Uwe Corsepius
Corsepius, UweUwe Corsepius
(born 1960)
26 June 201130 June 20154 years, 4 days Germany
8
Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen
Tranholm, JeppeJeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen
(born 1962)
1 July 20157 October 20227 years, 98 days Denmark
8
Thérèse Blanchet
Blanchet, ThérèseThérèse Blanchet
(born 1962)
1 November 20224 years, 364 days France

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  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