Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union

Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union

Incumbent Thérèse Blanchet since 1 November 2022
Council Secretariat
Seat	Europa building Justus Lipsius building
Appointer	Council of the European Union
Term length	Five years renewable
Constituting instrument	Treaties of the European Union
Formation	9 September 1952
First holder	Christian Calmes
Salary	€17,697.68 per month (2010)

Politics of the European Union
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Legislative institutions Legislative procedure Council of the EU Presidency Cyprus (January–June 2026) Configurations GAC FAC ECOFIN Eurogroup AGRIFISH EPSCO COMPET TTE ENVI JHA EYC Voting Secretariat Secretary-General: Thérèse Blanchet Directorates-general Council preparatory bodies COREPER Council Working Parties European Parliament (Members) President: Metsola Largest groups EPP (Manfred Weber) S&D (Iratxe García) Member of the European Parliament 10th session (2024–2029) Bureau Vice Presidents Quaestor Conference National parliaments
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Defunct bodies European Communities (1958–1993) European Coal and Steel Community European Economic Community European Community Western European Union Convention on the Future of Europe
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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 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, President of the European Defence Agency and the Western European Union. 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.