EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 265/3

Thursday 22 October 2009

Democracy building in external relations

P7_TA(2009)0056

European Parliament resolution of 22 October 2009 on democracy building in the EU's external relations

2010/C 265 E/02

The European Parliament,

having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in particular Article 21 thereof, and to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

having regard to Articles 3, 6, 11 and 19 of the EU Treaty and Articles 177, 300 and 310 of the EC Treaty,

having regard to all agreements between the EU and third countries and to the human rights and democracy clauses contained in those agreements,

having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (1) proclaimed in Strasbourg on 12 December 2007,

having regard to the UN General Assembly resolution of 8 September 2000 entitled ‘UN Millennium Declaration’ (A/RES/55/2),

having regard to the UN General Assembly resolution of 4 December 2000 entitled ‘Promoting and consolidating democracy’ (A/RES/55/96),

having regard to UN General Assembly resolution of 15 September 2005 entitled ‘2005 World Summit Outcome’ (A/RES/60/1),

having regard to UN General Assembly resolution of 20 December 2004 entitled ‘Enhancing the role of regional, sub-regional and other organisations and arrangements in promoting and consolidating democracy’ (A/RES/59/201),

having regard to the Commission Communication of 11 April 2000 on EU Election Assistance and Observation (COM(2000)0191),

having regard to its resolution of 15 March 2001 on the Commission Communication on EU Election Assistance and Observation (2),

having regard to the Commission Communication of 8 May 2001 on the EU's role in promoting human rights and democratisation in third countries (COM(2001)0252),

having regard to its resolution of 25 April 2002 on the Communication from the Commission on the European Union's role in promoting human rights and democratisation in third countries (3),

having regard to the European Security Strategy adopted on 12 December 2003,

having regard to the Commission Communication of 20 October 2003 on ‘Governance and Development’ (COM (2003)0615),

having regard to its resolution of 31 March 2004 on governance in the European Union's development policy (4),

having regard to the joint declaration by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission on the development policy of the European Union entitled ‘European Consensus’ (5),

having regard to the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the 2008 Accra Agenda for Action of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD),

having regard to the Commission Communication of 30 August 2006 on ‘Governance in the European Consensus on Development - Towards a harmonised approach within the European Union’ (COM(2006)0421),

having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1889/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing a financing instrument for the promotion of democracy and human rights worldwide (EIDHR) (6),

having regard to the decision of its Bureau of 18 June 2007 establishing the Office for Promotion of Parliamentary Democracy,

having regard to its resolution of 8 May 2008 on EU election observation missions: objectives, practices and future challenges (7),

having regard to the Council conclusions of 18 May 2009 on ‘Support to Democratic Governance: Towards an enhanced EU framework’,

having regard to the oral question of 30 September 2009 to the Commission on democracy-building in external relations (O-0093/2009 - B7-0213/2009),

having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas democracy and human rights are fundamental values of the European Union and its Member States and have been integral to the process of European integration from the outset,

B. whereas the basic treaties of the European Union underline a firm commitment to democracy and human rights and the Copenhagen political criteria of ‘stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities’ have been a key feature of the enlargement process,

C. whereas the EU vision of democracy building and support has not yet been set out in a single document,

D. whereas the successful integration of political, social and economic rights into the broad understanding of democracy in the EU has played a key role in creating stability and prosperity in a fashion unprecedented in world history,

E. whereas Article 11 of the EU Treaty states that one of the key objectives of the Common Foreign and Security Policy is ‘to develop and consolidate democracy and rule of law, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms’,

F. whereas Article 21 of the EU Treaty as amended by the Treaty of Lisbon states that ‘the Union's action on the international scene shall be guided by the principles which have inspired its own creation, development and enlargement’ and that ‘the Union shall ensure consistency between the different areas of its external action and between these and its other policies’,

G. whereas the promotion and protection of all human rights is a basic prerequisite for the existence of a democratic society, as reaffirmed in the UN General Assembly resolution No. A/RES/59/201, and whereas, although democratic systems may vary in form and shape, as is the case within the EU, democracy is a universal value and its essential principles or elements are enshrined in numerous international declarations and conventions; whereas these elements, as defined by the two above-mentioned UN General Assembly resolutions in 2000 and 2004 (A/RES/55/96 and A/RES/59/201), include: — respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, inter alia freedom of association and peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and freedom of opinion — the right to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives, to vote and to be elected at genuine, periodic free elections held on the basis of universal and equal suffrage and by secret ballot guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the people — a pluralistic system of political parties and organisations — respect for the rule of law — the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary — transparency and accountability in public administration — free, independent and pluralist media,

H. whereas, as stated in the UN Millennium Declaration of 2000, democratic and representative governance based on the will of the people can best assure the right of men and women to live their lives and raise their children in dignity, free from hunger and from the fear of violence, oppression or injustice,

I. whereas the ability of men and women to participate on equal terms in political life and in decision-making is a prerequisite for genuine democracy,

J. whereas democracy, development and respect for all human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights, are interdependent and mutually reinforcing,

K. whereas democracy is also clearly linked to security, as recognised by the European Security Strategy, which states that ‘spreading good governance, supporting social and political reform, dealing with corruption and abuse of power, establishing the rule of law and protecting human rights are the best means of strengthening the international order’,

L. whereas the European Union has at its disposal a wide range of instruments and tools, from political dialogue and diplomatic initiatives to specific financial and technical cooperation instruments, with which to support democracy worldwide,

M. whereas the European Union's external financial instruments, such as the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI), the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) and the Instrument for Stability (IfS), all offer significant possibilities for providing support for democratic governance and institution- and capacity-building,

N. whereas the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) is a key financial assistance instrument in the area of human rights and democracy, being global in scope, able to operate without host-country consent, and directly supporting civil society organisations; whereas EU Election Observation Missions (EOMs), financed by the EIDHR, are an essential element of the EU's contribution to democratic institution-building, which includes, in particular, follow-up to the recommendations made by such EU EOMs,

O. whereas civil society can play an important role in the Union's external democracy-building efforts, as shown by the contribution of volunteers to peace and democracy-building programmes,

P. whereas there is a need for a better overview of the democracy support currently provided by the EU, of how the EU's large arsenal of tools and instruments to support democracy worldwide delivers in partner countries, and of how those various instruments and actors operate, complement and connect with each other,

Q. whereas its above-mentioned resolution of 31 March 2004 concerning the Commission's Communication on Governance and Development stressed ‘the importance of pursuing electoral and parliamentary reforms, beyond the establishment of multi-party electoral systems, to ensure more extensive and effective political activity among the population’,

1. Shares the view that there is a need for a more coherent and uniform framework to make EU support for democracy-building, and, above all, the promotion of democratic values and respect for human rights throughout the world, more effective;

2. Welcomes the efforts by former and current EU Presidencies to implement a cross-pillar initiative on democracy-building in EU external actions with the aim of refining EU policy and strengthening its action and the coordination of its efforts, and underlines the need for sustained action in this field as part of the Council Conclusions to be adopted in November 2009; stresses, in this respect, that some key principles, such as transparency, access to documents, consultation and accountability, must be duly taken into consideration by the Council in addressing this issue;

3. Recommends that the upcoming Council conclusions should include concrete and practical suggestions for improving the coordination of democracy-building measures in EU foreign, human rights and development policy instruments; reiterates that the adoption of a Country Strategy on Human Rights and Democracy, to be regarded as a reference document establishing country-specific priorities in this field and mainstreamed into all relevant external EU policies and instruments with the third country concerned, could substantially improve the consistency, coordination and effectiveness of EU external action;

4. Reiterates that democratisation and good governance are not only ends in themselves, but are also vital for poverty reduction, sustainable development, peace and stability; points out that, as demonstrated by the EU's internal integration process, democracy helps to deliver not only political and civil rights, but also economic, cultural and social rights, including solidarity;

5. Calls on the Commission and the Member States, when designing the new external action service, to ensure the effective mainstreaming of human rights and democracy-building in all policy areas and to draw lessons from current processes and experience with a view to translating them into progress on the ground in promoting democratic values;

6. Takes the view that the embedding of democracy and democratic processes in third countries offer the best prospects for developing effective policies on global issues which are also of concern to EU citizens; points out that democratic systems can, for instance, combat transnational crime, illegal immigration and trafficking more effectively, protect the environment, maintain an open global trading system and secure sustainable and competitive energy supplies;

7. Urges the EU, with a view to strengthening concerted worldwide action to promote democracy, to publicly endorse the UN General Assembly's 2005 definition of democracy as the reference point for its own democratisation work;

8. Stresses that democracy cannot be exported or imposed from the outside and that a successful strategy for democracy promotion must be based on dialogue and entail broad efforts to strengthen civil society and raise democratic awareness in developing countries; underlines the EU's continued commitment to the principles of ownership of development strategies and programmes by partner countries; points out, however, that these processes can be supported by all the various EU instruments, adapted to the specific situation of each country;

9. Stresses that the EU must develop strategies to support the development of civil society and democratic structures and that political foundations, non-governmental organisations and academic institutions play important roles in such contexts and should be supported;

10. Proposes that the Council and Commission proceed with a comprehensive, detailed analysis of all forms of EU support for democracy in a sample of partner countries, with a view to making practical recommendations;

11. Recommends that the Council and Commission implement the OECD Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action in their democracy support work, and suggests, in particular, that joint EU democracy assessments, joint EU programming and burden-sharing be introduced with a view to increasing the impact and visibility of the EU's work to support democracy;

12. Underlines the importance of the human rights clauses already contained in EU agreements; reiterates, in this context, that such clauses should first be applied consistently in existing agreements, in preference to a process of devising new agreements incorporating additional conditions;

13. Suggests that the Commission should systematically include a section on the state of democracy and human rights in the Country Strategy Papers, incorporate recommendations from relevant EU EOMs, and, wherever appropriate, mainstream democracy support in programmes with partner countries;

14. Underlines the need for better coordination of the activities carried out under the various external financial instruments and for the complementarity between geographical and thematic instruments to be fully explored;

15. Urges the Council and Commission to carry out broad-based, comprehensive consultation with all EU and third-country stakeholders, including institutional and regional and local actors, human rights defenders and independent civil society groups, before launching new democracy-building initiatives;

16. Encourages the Commission to involve democratic institutions at all levels, particularly parliaments and regional and local authorities, more systematically in the preparation and implementation of country-specific instruments, such as agreements between the EU and the country concerned and Country Strategy Papers;

17. Requests that the Commission consider the establishment of a volunteer European Peace Corps, while taking into account the positive experience of the European Voluntary Service (EVS);

18. Underlines the need for EU democracy support to be comprehensive, addressing all issues covered by the above-mentioned UN General Assembly resolution on the 2005 World Summit Outcome, and to take a long-term approach in its delivery; sees the EIDHR as a key financial assistance instrument in this regard, and calls for support to be maintained and strengthened;

19. Welcomes the positive contribution made by EU EOMs in strengthening democratic processes, enhancing respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, good governance and the rule of law, and, in particular, strengthening electoral processes around the world, but stresses the need to ensure a coherent post-electoral policy, paying particular attention to convergence between technical and political follow-up and input from civil society, so that development support is consistent with democratic principles and democratic governance values;

20. Calls on the Commission to build further on its successful cooperation with the UN on election observation missions and to strengthen common strategy-building and project design with the UN and other regional organisations, such as the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the African Union, in connection with the promotion of democracy and human rights;

21. Stresses that the EU's democracy-building efforts should more systematically include a special focus on the role of elected representatives and political parties, an independent judiciary and the media and on the strengthening of women's participation in political and public life; underlines, further, the importance of supporting political foundations, non-governmental organisations and academic institutions;

22. Recommends the introduction of a specific strategy to support newly democratically-elected parliaments with a view to permanently entrenching democracy, the rule of law and good governance; calls, further, for the development of a peer-to-peer instrument involving parliamentarians of different nationalities with a view to determining what constitutes efficient and effective representation of the interests of the electorate, efficient and effective oversight of the executive and ways and means of maintaining a flow of information between all parts of the governance system;

23. Confirms its own determination to contribute to the strengthening of democratic processes by enhancing its involvement in election observation, follow-up to EU EOMs and parliamentary capacity-building; calls, in that connection, on its Office for Promotion of Parliamentary Democracy (OPPD) to present a comprehensive action plan to the relevant parliamentary committees which should necessarily include a clear mechanism for cooperation with interparliamentary delegations and joint parliamentary committees; underlines, further, the importance of involving parliamentary assemblies, such as the ACP-EU, EUROLAT, EUROMED and EURONEST assemblies, in this process;

24. Encourages the Commission delegations to work in partnership with the OPPD when considering or initiating parliamentary support programmes;

25. Recommends that an action plan be included in the November Council conclusions and that a review of the progress made be carried out by the end of 2010; requests the current and forthcoming EU Presidencies to present the outcome of the General Affairs and External Relations Council meetings to its committees responsible;

26. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ C 364, 18.12.2000, p. 1.

(2) OJ C 343, 5.12.2001, p. 270.

(3) OJ C 131 E, 5.6.2003, p. 147.

(4) OJ C 103 E, 29.4.2004, p. 550.

(5) OJ C 46, 24.2.2006, p. 1.

(6) OJ L 386, 29.12.2006, p. 1.

(7) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0194.