diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 025c7e0..4b2069a 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+# eurlex 0.5.0
+
+## Major changes
+- the Council votes API was discontinued in May 2024. Hopefully there is a new one to replace it soon
+
 # eurlex 0.4.7
 
 ## Minor changes
diff --git a/R/elx_council_votes.R b/R/elx_council_votes.R
index 44d3784..b4f87ad 100644
--- a/R/elx_council_votes.R
+++ b/R/elx_council_votes.R
@@ -90,29 +90,31 @@ elx_council_votes <- function(){
               ORDER BY DESC(?decisionDate), ?votingInstCode
 "
   
-    # run query
-    votes_resp <- graceful_http(
-      remote_file = "https://data.consilium.europa.eu/sparql",
-      body = list(query = query),
-      httr::content_type("multipart"),
-      headers = httr::add_headers('Accept' = 'text/csv'),
-      encode = "multipart",
-      verb = "POST"
-    )
-    
-    # if var not created, break
-    if (is.null(votes_resp)){
-      
-      return(invisible(NULL))
-      
-    } 
-    
-    # process response
-    votes <- votes_resp %>%
-      httr::content("text") %>%
-      readr::read_csv(col_types = readr::cols(.default = "c"))
-
-    # return
-    return(votes)
+    # # run query
+    # votes_resp <- graceful_http(
+    #   remote_file = "https://data.consilium.europa.eu/sparql",
+    #   body = list(query = query),
+    #   httr::content_type("multipart"),
+    #   headers = httr::add_headers('Accept' = 'text/csv'),
+    #   encode = "multipart",
+    #   verb = "POST"
+    # )
+    # 
+    # # if var not created, break
+    # if (is.null(votes_resp)){
+    #   
+    #   return(invisible(NULL))
+    #   
+    # } 
+    # 
+    # # process response
+    # votes <- votes_resp %>%
+    #   httr::content("text") %>%
+    #   readr::read_csv(col_types = readr::cols(.default = "c"))
+    # 
+    # # return
+    # return(votes)
+  
+  return("The Council votes API was discontinued in May 2024.")
 
 }