Definition

Proper noun The North Atlantic Council is the principal political decision-making body of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It consists of permanent representatives from all NATO member countries and holds supreme political authority within the Alliance.

Usage

The North Atlantic Council is used to refer to the main governing council of NATO. It is always capitalized as it is a formal, proper name. * The North Atlantic Council meets regularly to discuss and decide on security issues. * Decisions within NATO are made by consensus in the North Atlantic Council. * The ambassador presented his country's position to the North Atlantic Council.

Advanced Usage

• The North Atlantic Council can meet at different levels: at the level of Permanent Representatives (ambassadors), Foreign Ministers, or Heads of State and Government (NATO Summits). In all these formats, it is still the same North Atlantic Council.
• The phrase "North Atlantic Council decisions" refers to the official, collective political decisions made by this body, which set the direction for the entire Alliance.

Variants and Related Words

• NAC: A common initialism for the North Atlantic Council.
• NATO Council: An informal, shorter name for the North Atlantic Council.
• Permanent Representative: A member state's ambassador to NATO who sits on the North Atlantic Council.

Synonyms

• NATO's principal council
• The Alliance's main decision-making body

Related Terms and Concepts

• Consensus: The method by which the North Atlantic Council makes all its decisions, meaning all members must agree or at least not object.
• Political authority: The North Atlantic Council derives its power from the North Atlantic Treaty and is responsible for setting NATO's strategic direction, not military operations.
• Permanent Session: Refers to the ongoing work of the North Atlantic Council at the ambassadorial level in Brussels.

Noun

1. a council consisting of permanent representatives of all the member countries of NATO; has political authority and powers of decision