The Treaty of the European Union The Maastrict Treaty, 7th February, 1992. The European Parliament shall be kept regularly informed by the Presidency and the Commission of the development of the Union's foreign and security policy. ARTICLE J.8 1. The European Council shall define the principles of and general guidelines for the common foreign and security policy. The Council shall act unanimously, except for procedural questions and in the case referred to in Article J.3(2). 3. Any Member State or the Commission may refer to the Council any question relating to the common foreign policy and may submit proposals to the Council.