European Union

Supporting Democracy Abroad: An Assessment of Leading Powers minimal moderate moderate limited limited minimal strong minimal very strong moderate Brazil European Union France | Germany | India | Indonesia | Japan | Poland | South Africa | Sweden | United States 6 moderate support for democracy and human rights European Union Rosa Balfour EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction The European Union (EU) made the promotion The European Union (EU) has incorporated of “democracy, the rule of law, the universality and a commitment to the promotion of democ- indivisibility of human rights and individual free- racy and the universality of human rights doms” the guiding principle for its international action.1 The EU’s most significant impact on global into its policies for prospective members as democracy has been its own enlargement, which well as in its international action. However, has supported processes of democratization in it remains limited in its ability to ensure that Portugal and Greece in the 1970s and 1980s, these principles are coherently and consis- in Central Europe after the end of the Cold War, in Turkey during the 2000s, and today in aspiring tently applied. Trade and business interests, members from the Balkan region. But the EU especially with large economic partners has also made efforts in recent years to include such as China, sometimes conflict with democracy and human rights standards and human rights diplomacy. The fact that all guidelines in most of its external policies. member states must reach consensus The EU promotes democracy and human rights on responses to human rights and democra- through its budget for foreign assistance, which is managed by the European Commission (the EU’s cy deficits, such as those in Russia, dilutes executive institution); through its Development About this project criticism. The search for allies on security Cooperation and its Humanitarian Aid offices; and This project analyzes matters has meant that the EU has not through its recently created diplomatic service, the support by 11 democratic criticized repression in countries like Egypt. European External Action Service (EEAS), which powers for democracy coordinates EU foreign and security policy. and human rights Moreover, because foreign policy is still during the period controlled in part by the member states, In practice, however, there is a gap between the June 2012–May 2014. there are contradictions at the national EU’s ambitions and its performance. Conflicting priorities in the fields of security and economics About the author level. Nevertheless, the EU has taken im- often trump good intentions, and member states Rosa Balfour is the portant steps to engage on these topics frequently diverge from the EU’s overall approach director of Europe in to foreign policy. Internally, too, instances of the World at the and to push for change, especially through European Policy Centre, EU-level diplomacy and its large foreign faltering democratic standards have tarnished an independent think the EU’s image. tank based in Brussels. assistance budget. 1 www.freedomhouse.org Supporting Democracy European Union Abroad: An Assessment of Leading Powers The mismatch between intentions and outcomes long-standing challenge of integrating human rights can be explained by the complex relationship across the EU’s complex system. between the various actors working on foreign policy Institutionally, the EU’s 140 delegations around the at different levels of the EU system. EU foreign policy world were strengthened to include a human rights has always suffered from coordination difficulties and democracy focal point by the end of 2012. These as well as a lack of commitment and diversity of are staffed by officials and specialists to manage positions from EU member states. In recent years, projects carried out under the European Instrument for example, the relationship has been strained for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), designed between the “old” European Commission, traditional to support local actors directly without interference guardian of a more integrated community, and the from government authorities. The delegations also newly created EEAS as a sui generis body. conduct analysis of the situation in their respective As opposed to economic policies, EU member countries. Implementing the Strategic Framework states cooperate in foreign and security affairs only also entailed the drafting of 146 country human to the extent that they are willing. While their size rights reports in 2013. In addition, in September and resources demonstrate the vast potential that 2012 Stavros Lambrinidis was appointed special further cooperation could have, members continue representative for human rights, a new role con- to be attached to their own national sovereignty and sidered parallel to the U.S. assistant secretary for particular interests in this area. This has prevented democracy, human rights, and labor. Lambrinidis greater joint action in international affairs. has been actively shuttling around the globe to carry out EU human rights diplomacy, meeting with civil Foreign Policy Objectives society organizations and conducting the human Over the past few years, the EU has strengthened rights dialogues that the EU has institutionalized its ability to address human rights and democracy with many countries. issues. Since the end of the cold war, the EU has Ultimately, human rights remains a modest part of included the principles of liberty, democracy, respect EU diplomacy. Even while the EU has improved its for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and ability to address shortcomings in human rights and the rule of law into all its relations and cooperation democracy, the bulk of its foreign relations is deter- with third countries. It has also gradually integrated mined by economic, security, or energy interests these principles into its external assistance. rather than universal principles. In June 2012, the EU approved the ambitious Stra- tegic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy, Development Assistance and Trade accompanied by a 36-point action plan.2 In essence, The EU and its member states together make up the framework is designed to integrate human rights the world’s largest donor, despite cuts to national and democracy into all external action, to promote European budgets for development assistance.3 them through bilateral and multilateral means, and Support for democracy is spread across different to make the EU system work together more coher- categories of funding. Roughly 10 to 20 percent ently. The Strategic Framework updated the EU’s of EU external assistance targets human rights, approach to the changing global environment: to democratic reform, good governance, and rule of the three traditional conceptual clusters of polit- law. Priorities for good governance and the rule of ical rights, economic and social rights, and group law are included in all mainstream assistance, and and minority rights, it added lesbian, gay, bisexual, grants are contingent on recipients satisfying transgender (LGBT), and intersex rights, freedom human rights and democracy conditions. For of religion or belief, freedom of expression on- and example, of the €449 million ($584 million) offline, the rights of indigenous peoples, and the committed to Egypt in 2011–13, €50 million rights of people with disabilities. The action plan ($65 million) was earmarked for reforms in the also sets out objectives for integrating human rights area of human rights, democracy, and justice. This into other external policies, with a particular focus assistance is channeled through national govern- on trade, conflict prevention and crisis management, ments, while civil society organizations are directly counterterrorism, freedom, security and justice, supported through the EIDHR and the nonstate employment, and social policy. Finally, it indicates actor instrument, which have average annual global the institutions responsible for actions, together budgets of €160 million ($212 million) and €230 with a time frame, in an effort to overcome the million ($305 million) respectively. 2 Freedom House These instruments have been strengthened in In Bangladesh, the EU was able to improve labor recent years, and their funding will continue to grow; standards by making use of its role as Bangladesh’s the EIDHR budget will increase from €1.104 billion largest trading partner. Following the 2013 collapse ($1.463 billion) to €1.33 billion ($1.76 billion) for of an illegally constructed building in which over 2014–20.4 More than 530 new EIDHR initiatives were 1,000 factory workers died, High Representative developed in 2013, and a small grant scheme gave Catherine Ashton and Trade Commissioner Karel emergency assistance to hundreds of at-risk human De Gucht issued a joint statement criticizing labor, rights defenders. EU delegations in 107 countries health, and safety standards. The threat of suspen- have called for project proposals by grassroots sion from the Generalised System of Preferences civil society organizations in the fields of human (a program allowing developing countries preferen- rights and democratization, conflict resolution, tial access to the EU market through reduced tariffs) and political participation.5 led the Bangladeshi government to make commitments toward improving its labor rights and factory The main problems for EU assistance are related conditions. Nevertheless, as the EU’s action was to the gap between commitments and actual dis- triggered by an

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