Page "Council of the European Union" Paragraph 5

With the Merger Treaty of 1967, the ECSC's Special Council of Ministers and the Council of the EAEC ( together with their other independent institutions ) were merged into the Council of the EEC which would act as a single Council of the European Communities.

In 1993, the Council adopted the name ' Council of the European Union ', following the establishment of the European Union by the Maastricht Treaty.

That treaty strengthened the Council with the addition of more intergovernmental elements in the three pillars system.

However, at the same time the Parliament and Commission had been strengthened inside the Community pillar curbing the ability of the Council to act independently.