In the General Affairs Council (GAC) the ministers coordinates the preparation of and follow-up on meetings in the European Council and covers dossiers of cross-cutting nature, thus affecting more than one EU policies - including negotiations on EU enlargement, preparation of the EU's multiannual financial frameworks and institutional and administrative matters. The council typically meets once a month and the Member States are represented by either their Minister of Foreign or European Affairs.

The ECOFIN Council covers the coordination of the economic policies. ECOFIN monitors the economy and keep control of the budgetary policy, public finances, the euro, financial markets and capital movements. It also prepares and adopts the annual budget for the EU together with the European Parliament. The Council consists of the Member States’ ministers of finance and economic affairs and they congregate about once a month, while the group of eurozone countries usually meet the day before.