Council's analysis and research team The analysis and research team supports the European Council and the Council of the European Union in their strategic thinking and policy planning. The team is part of the General Secretariat of the Council and its main tasks are: carrying out research into issues which go beyond the day-to-day business of both EU institutions, including looking at global trends and using foresight techniques encouraging the flow of new ideas between the EU institutions and think tanks, academia and other sources of expertise bringing fresh thinking to the policy-making process and to question established ideas where necessary