This article synthesizes contributions from a special issue on the European Council, analyzing its role as a driver of post-Maastricht EU integration. It explores the Council's policy-making impact, its evolving inter-institutional relations with bodies like the Council, the Commission, and the European Parliament, and the political dynamics influenced by recent crises. The study highlights the dual presence of consensus and domination, contributing to research on ‘new intergovernmentalism’ and the ‘intergovernmental union’.