EuropeAid EC Methodogical Guide on Electoral Assistance EC Methodogical Guide on Electoral Assistance October 2006 European Commission EuropeAid Co-operation Office Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 41, B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussels A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://ec.europa.eu) at the following pages: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/EuropeAid http://ec.europa.eu/comm/world http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations http://ec.europa.eu/comm/development This Methodological Guide is also available on the following specific web pages: http://ec-undp-electoralassistance.org http://ec.europa.eu/comm/EuropeAid/projects/eidhr/elections_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/human_rights/eu_election_ass_observ/ Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the following information. ISBN 978-92-79-02888-5 © European Communities, 2006 Re-printed in October 2008 All pictures by F. Bargiacchi, P. Guerin, D. Tuccinardi, M.R. Queiró and I. Ribot Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged INTRODUCTION This Methodological Guide is structured in three sections, four case studies and three annexes. The Guide has been designed to be used as a reference tool which can address specific needs arising at different stages of the project cycle, as it refers to electoral assistance. Section I sets out the framework within which electoral assistance is provided, lessons learned from previous experience, the new “Electoral Cycle Approach”, cross-cutting issues and the factors to be considered when embracing technology for electoral processes; Section II presents activities that can be implemented in support of Electoral Cycles, indicating potential benefits and risks, and also picks up on the wider, cross-cutting effects arising from these suggested activities. Section III deals with issues relating to EC internal procedures for Programming, Identification, Formulation and Implementation and also provides operational advice relevant to the specific phases. The Case Studies illustrate the different ways the EC is implementing its electoral assistance activities. The Annexes contain operational tools and sources of information that can be used, plus all the selected background documentation in digital format. Throughout this guide three types of boxes are used for (I) key concepts and ideas; (II) further information; and (III) lessons learned and examples. These are indicated using the following icons: KEY CONCEPTS & IDEAS Important concepts to be retained and advice relating to the different stages of a project cycle. FURTHER INFORMATION More detailed information on a specific issue and/or suggestions for further reading. LESSONS LEARNED & EXAMPLES Views and comments arising from our direct experience and from that of other organisations and external practitioners. Preface Democratisation, promotion of human rights and good governance are at the core of the European Union’s identity and constitute key objectives of its foreign and security policy. They are not only a moral imperative but they are also the best guarantors for stability and prosperity, which brings dividends to the international community as a whole, in terms of trade, security, cultural and human exchange. By supporting the electoral process, the EU is able to project its identity abroad and support respect for human rights and democratic values, as enshrined in the Treaties. The EU is one of the leading actors in terms of electoral assistance and election observation worldwide. The position of the European Commission as one of the key international donors in terms of electoral assistance has strengthened in the course of the last six years. From the adoption in 2000 of the EC Communication on Election Assistance and Observation until 2005, a significant increase in the volume of funding and in the complexity of the electoral assistance operations has been registered. Over this period the EC has provided more than 300 MEURO in electoral assistance projects in more than 40 countries, also increasingly responding to the challenge of supporting electoral processes in post-conflict situations such as in Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti. The EU Election Observation Missions (EUEOMs) have also achieved well justified success 6 and visibility, and are considered to be of great political consequence, utilizing a standard setting methodology and exhibiting highly efficiently runoperations. Since 2000 the EU has deployed 47 missions in 35 countries involving the participation of 4000 experts and observers for a total budget of 77 MEURO. This Guide was prepared to offer to all EC staff and to all those whose regular work requires specific knowledge of particular EC electoral assistance issues (Members States, other donors, third country officials, consultants and service providers), a “hands on” and immediate operational tool that can assist them throughout all the stages of the project management cycle. In the last two years, the EC has been reshaping its approach, rethinking the way electoral assistance is delivered and taking a leading role in the campaign to favor long-term support strate- gies ahead of supporting ad hoc projects aimed at specific electoral events. This Methodological Guide is part of the ongoing effort of the EC to place electoral assistance more firmly within the framework of democratic development and to become a pillar of the support to the governance sector. The Guide aims at developing a specific and strategic operational framework in the field of electoral assistance, in order to rationalise and make EC interventions more homogeneous, effec- tive and in harmony with overall EU objectives. To this purpose, it encourages looking beyond the immediate electoral event to be supported and, via an “Electoral Cycle Approach”, tailors the electoral assistance interventions towards the developing of the institutional capacity of the Electoral Management Bodies and the long term needs of the Civil Society. It also highlights the important complementarity between electoral assistance and elec- tion observation and promotes the establishment of even stronger synergies between the two REFACE P activities, to ensure that EUEOMs’ benefit from the experience gained through electoral assist- ance projects and that the recommendations of the election observation missions are taken into account for the next electoral assistance interventions. The Guide combines the analysis of the lessons learned from past experience of electoral assistance with the investigation of future challenges, all within the context of the current regula- tory framework of the EC cooperation agreements, partnerships and contractual regulations. In order to do so, this Guide: r Outlines the lessons learned and presents a new operational approach in the field of electoral assistance; r Defines activities that can be implemented insupport of Electoral Cycles also introducing the cross-cutting issues and the factors to be considered when embracing technology for electoral processes; r Specifies the elements of enhanced collaboration on the production of content, training, and participation in specialist networks with the major actors in the electoral assistance field; r Indicates the available operational tools and resources to be taken into consideration 7 for programming, formulating and implementing electoral assistance. The Guide is accompanied by other initiatives to develop electoral assistance expertise and the Commission’s internal capacity to work in this area such as training modules, concise fast facts sheets, practice notes and a resource booklet presenting the basic aspects of effective electoral assistance. This will lead to more effective interventions, in line with overall EC objectives and management principles, and improved contribution to the overall strategies to enhance coher- ence both at policy and programmes levels and to promote genuine elections and transparent administration of sustainable electoral processes. In this context it is important to develop even stronger synergies between EC electoral assistance and its political complement, election observation, to ensure that the recommenda- tions of EU Election Observation Missions are taken into consideration in the identification and formulation of the next EC electoral assistance projects. Koos Richelle Director General EuropeAid Co-operation Office Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Section I Framework, Lesson Learned and new Operational Approach Chapter 1 Policy and Strategic Framework 1.1 Support to Electoral Processes ....................................................................... 13 1.2 Legal instruments ....................................................................................... 15 1.3 EU Electoral Support: Electoral Assistance and Election Observation ........................ 18 1.4 Electoral Assistance in the Context of Democratisation and Sustainable Development ............................................................................................20 1.5 Electoral Assistance as a Means to Prevent Conflict and Promote Good Governance ..............................................................................................22 1.6 Criteria for Involvement in Electoral Assistance ...................................................23 1.7 Political Dialogue and Development Cooperation ...............................................25