The "Antici" Group is named after an Italian diplomat,
Paolo Massimo Antici who, during the 1975 Italian Presidency,
institutionalised the meetings (which had been taking place informally
for years) of the assistants to the EEC Permanent Representatives.
These meetings were held to prepare COREPER's agenda.
In close co-ordination with the Council Secretariat and the Commission,
the "Antici" officers set the agendas for COREPER II
and the Councils connected to it, co-ordinating the legislative
activity on which the latter depend and regulating all aspects
of the Council's general operation.
During the European Councils, "Antici" civil servants
are responsible for taking notes on the progress of the work done,
as referred by the representative of the Council Secretariat,
and for sending these notes to the respective national delegations.
This general synthesis is the only "trace" of the discussions,
held behind closed doors, that take place at the Summits of the
Heads of State and of Government.
