The European Council brings together the heads of state and government of the European Union. Currently, PES parties lead seven governments in the European Union – Austria, Greece, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom – and are coalition partners in three countries – Belgium, Hungary and Luxembourg.
The PES is also active in the ministerial formations of the Council of the European Union, pursuing social democratic policies at European level.
PES Prime Ministers meet regularly before European Summits to discuss common policies and goals that should be achieved during the European Council. Prime Ministers' meetings took place on:
The High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) is Catherine Ashton. As High Representative for the CFSP, Catherine Ashton chairs the Foreign Affairs Council and conducts the Common Foreign and Security Policy.
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Catherine Ashton
Catherine Ashton was born in Upholland in Lancashire, from where she takes her title, Baroness Ashton of Upholland. From 1983-89 she was Director of Business in the Community, and established the Employers' Forum on Disability, Opportunity Now, and the Windsor Fellowship. She chaired the Health Authority in Hertfordshire from 1998 to 2001, and became a Vice President of the National Council for One Parent Families.
In 1999 Catherine Ashton became a Labour life peer. She was made Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Education and Skills in 2001, and then Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Department for Constitutional Affairs and subsequently Ministry of Justice with responsibilities for human rights, freedom of information and equalities. She became a Privy Councillor in May 2006. Catherine Ashton was appointed Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council in Gordon Brown’s first Cabinet in June 2007. As well as Leader of the Lords, she took responsibility in the House of Lords for equalities issues. She has significant European experience, including steering the Lisbon Treaty through the UK's upper chamber and dealing with EU justice and home affairs issues in her previous positions.
In October 2008 she becomes European Commissioner for Trade and from the 1st December 2009 she assumes office as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
