The “Ioannina Compromise” comes into force by Council Decision.
The Ioannina Compromise derives its name from an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in the Greek city of Ioannina in late March 1994. During this meeting, the Council issued a decision regarding the issue of qualified majority voting in an enlarged EU of 16 members. Subsequently, this decision was adapted due to Norway’s refusal to join.
The compromise reached stipulated that if Council members representing between 23 (the old blocking minority threshold – the number of votes needed to oppose the adoption of a decision requiring a qualified majority) and 26 votes (the new blocking minority threshold) declare their intention to oppose the adoption of a decision by the Council by qualified majority, the Council will make every effort to reach, within a reasonable time, a satisfactory solution that can be adopted by at least 68 out of 87 votes.
