The European Council brings together the Presidents and Prime Ministers of all EU countries and the President of the European Commission. The President of the European Parliament also addresses each European Council. The European Council dates back to 1974, when political leaders of the European Union ("heads of state or government") began holding regular meetings. This practice is enshrined in the Single European Act (1987). In principle, the European Council meets four times a year. Given the increasing importance of EU affairs in national political life, it is appropriate for presidents and prime ministers to have the opportunity to meet regularly and discuss major European issues. Under the Maastricht Treaty, the European Council has officially become a policy driver and is empowered to resolve difficult issues in which ministers (meeting in the Council of the European Union) cannot agree. The European Council has become a major media event because its members are well-known public figures, and some of the issues discussed can be extremely interesting. It also discusses current world problems. The aim of the Council is to speak internationally on international issues, developing a common foreign and security policy. Thus, the European Council is the highest level policy-making body of the European Union. Some Member States would like it to become the new government of Europe and for some of its members to represent the Union on the world stage.