Working Party of Foreign Relations Counsellors (RELEX Working Party) - Main contents

The RELEX working party deals with legal, financial and institutional issues of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).

Its priorities include:

sanctions

EU crisis management operations

EU special representatives

financing of external activities

non-proliferation

other crosscutting issues

In 2004, a new formation called 'Sanctions' was created within the working party. Its main task is to share best practice, and to revise and implement common guidelines to ensure effective and uniform implementation of EU sanctions regimes.

This Council working party (nr. C.1) examines the legislative proposals by the European Commission in its field of expertise that are sent to the Council of Ministers. This body is composed of experts from each member state and is chaired by the delegate of the country holding the rotating six-month presidency of the Council. After examination the proposals will be forwarded to the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) i.