The EPSCO Council brings together the ministers responsible for employment, health and consumer affairs around four times a year. The Council address matters such as working conditions, social and health protection, consumer rights and equality of opportunities. During the Spanish presidency, depending on the items on the agenda, the Work and Immigration Minister, Celestino Corbacho, the Health and Social Policy Minister, Trinidad Jiménez, or the Equality Minister, Bibiana Aído, will preside over the EPSCO Council.

Between 27 and 30 January, an informal meeting of Employment Ministers will take place in Barcelona chaired by Celestina Corbacho, and on 25 and 26 March a meeting on equality will be held in Valencia, chaired by Bibiana Aido . The Health Ministers will meet on 22 and 23 April in Madrid, at a meeting chaired by Trinidad Jiménez. Informal meetings are held in the country which holds the presidency and no decisions are made at them; they enable ministers to discuss current issues in an informal way.

Given that employment and social protection policies are still competencies of the Member States, the EU's contribution is limited to establishing common objectives, analysing the measures taken at national level and adopting recommendations. This system is known as the 'open method of coordination' and is applied in cases such as the European Employment Strategy, social inclusion and pensions. The role of the Parliament and the Commission is greatly reduced and it is the Council that makes the decisions, generally by unanimity.

In the Employment and Social Protection Committees, Member States can talk to each other, exchange information and share the results of their national experiences. In the areas in which the Member States have given competence to the EU to legislate, such as, for example, matters relating to working conditions, the Council generally decides by qualified majority and in codecision with the European Parliament.