Global democracy support
European Parliament

Democracy Group

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Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG)

Supporting democracy in the world

Actively supporting the European Union's international efforts to promote democracy and human rights is one of the European Parliament's core responsibilities, set out in the EU's founding treaties.

This work also benefits EU citizens, whose place at home is strengthened by a fairer, more stable world.
The European Parliament's main areas of activity in this domain are the following:

  • reinforcing parliamentary democracy in non-EU countries,
  • supporting the parliaments in selected priority countries, notably in the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood, Western Balkans and Turkey,
  • monitoring and following up elections,
  • developing initiatives involving mediation, facilitation and dialogue,
  • focusing on human rights,
  • developing activities connected to Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and its network.

This European Parliament's democracy support work is guided by the"Comprehensive Democracy Support Approach" (CDSA), which coordinates Parliament's democracy support activities so that they revolve in a coherent manner around the electoral cycles of non-EU countries.

All these activities are overseen by the Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG), which provides political guidance and supervision. The DEG is headed by the chairs of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Development and includes MEPs from across the political spectrum.
MEPs David McAllister and Tomas Tobé during a meeting in the European Parliament
MEPs David McAllister and Tomas Tobé © European Union (2019) - European Parliament

The European Parliament has created a dedicated group of MEPs who oversee the Parliament's efforts to support democracy beyond the EU .

This group, called the Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG), is headed by the chairs of

  • the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET), and
  • the Development Committee (DEVE).

The group consists of 16 Members, including the Chair of the Conference of Delegation Chairs, the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) and the Vice-Presidents responsible for the Sakharov Prize and for Human Rights and Democracy.

Together, they work to ensure that all their colleagues' efforts are coherent and effective.

The DEG's mandate and composition was decided by the European Parliament's Conference of Presidents on 13 September 2012. At the same time, the Conference of Presidents defined the criteria and procedures for election observation delegations.

Composition of the Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG)

Co-Chairs:
  • Mr David McALLISTER (Chair AFET, EPP)
  • Mr Tomas TOBÉ (Chair DEVE, EPP)
Members:
  • Mr Michael GAHLER (EPP)
  • Mr György HÖLVÉNYI (EPP)
  • Mr Nacho SANCHEZ AMOR (S&D)
  • Ms Isabel SANTOS (S&D)
  • Ms Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO (Chair CDC, S&D)
  • Ms Izaskun BILBAO BARANDICA (RENEW)
  • Mr Urmas PAET (RENEW)
  • Ms Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (GREENS/EFA)
  • Mr Thierry MARIANI (ID)
  • Ms Anna FOTYGA (ECR)
  • Ms Marisa MATIAS (GUE/NGL)
Ex-officio Members (without voting rights):
  • Ms Maria ARENA (Chair DROI, S&D)
  • Mr Michal ŠIMEČKA (Vice-President responsible for Human Rights and Democracy, RENEW),
  • Ms Heidi HAUTALA (Vice-President responsible for the Sakharov network and for Human Rights and Democracy, Greens/EFA)

Meetings

9th Legislature (2019 - 2024)

  • Room WEISS S2.1 - Strasbourg, 09.00-10.30


    1. Adoption of the draft agenda

    2. Adoption of the Minutes of the DEG meeting of 6 October 2022

    3. Chairperson's announcements

    4. Consultation by VP/HR on the EU Election Observation Missions (EOMs) for 2023

    · The DEG is consulted by the VP/HR on an annual basis on the priorities of the EU EOMs.

    5. Decision on EP Election Observation Delegations in the first half 2023

    · The DEG is to take a Decision on the EP Election Observation Delegations in the first half of 2023, based on the EU EOM priorities identified by the VP/HR and the scheduled OSCE/ODIHR EOMs.

    6. DEG Annual Work Programme for 2023

    · Presentation and debate on the work programme for 2023 with a view to its adoption by the DEG in December (written procedure).

    7. Any other business

    8. Next meeting

  • Room Louise Weiss (LOW) R5.1- Strasbourg, 09.00-10.30

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda

    2. Adoption of the Minutes of the DEG meeting of 9 June 2022

    3. Chairperson's announcements

    4. 10 years of EP democracy support

    5. Implementation of democracy support activities in the priority countries

    Ukraine

    Georgia

    Serbia

    6. Any other business

    7. Next meeting

  • Brussels,

    10.45 - 12.00 (Physical Presence and Interactio)


    1. Adoption of the draft agenda

    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 16 December 2021

    3. Chair's announcements

    4. Democracy support activities in Ukraine - State of play

    5. JMD Moldova / IPD and forthcoming elections in Serbia - State of play

    6. Any other business

    7. Next meeting

  • Brussels

    11:30- 13.00

    Remote Meeting (Interactio - Room: ANTALL 4Q1)


    The draft agenda includes the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda

    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 16 June 2020

    3. Chairperson's announcements

    EXCHANGE OF VIEWS

    4. Democracy support activities in Belarus

    DECISIONS

    5. DEG Annual Work Programme 2021

    6. Solidarity Programme for Parliamentarians under threat

    7. Election observation priorities 2021

    8. Any other business

    9. Next meeting

  • Brussels

    08:45 - 10:00

    Room: Spinelli 5G3

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda

    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 18 February 2020

    3. Chairperson's announcements

    DECISIONS

    4. Update of EP election observation delegations in the first half of 2020

    5. Sakharov Prize

    6. Democracy support activities in the Western Balkans

    7. Any other business

    8. Next meeting

  • Brussels

    17.15 - 18.15

    Extraordinary meeting In Camera

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the agenda

    2. Adoption of the minutes of previous meeting

    3. Chair's announcements

    4. Debriefing with Commissioner VÁRHELYI and MEPs Mr Vladimir BILČÍK and Ms Tanja FAJON on theirJoint Mission to Serbia

    5. Any other business

    6. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg

    09:00- 10:00

    Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda

    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 28 November 2019

    3. Chairperson's announcements

    4. Work Programme for DEG activities in 2020:exchange of views with appointed Lead members and adoption of the Work Programme

    5. Any other business

    6. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg

    08:30- 10:00

    Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)


    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1.      Adoption ofthe draft agenda

    2.      Adoption ofthe minutes of the meeting of 24 October 2019

    3.      Chairperson's announcements

    DECISIONS

    4.      Decision on DEG priority countries/regions for the 9thlegislature and possible appointment of lead Members

    5.      Consultation on the EU Election Observation Missions in 2020 and decision on EP Election Observation Delegations in the first half of 2020 (January to July)

    6.    Anyother business

    7.    Next meeting

  • Constituent meeting

    Strasbourg

    09:00- 10:30

    Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1.  Adoption of the draft agenda

    2.  Chairperson's announcements

    3.  Setting up the work of the Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG) in the 9th Legislature

    4.  Any other business

    5.  Next meeting

Previous meetings

Meetings during the 8th Legislature.

  • Strasbourg
    08:30- 10:00
    Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Chairperson's announcements
    3. Discussion and adoption of DEG Recommendations for the next legislature
    4. Consultation on the EU Election Observation Missions in 2019 by HR/VP Mogherini
      and decision on EP Election Observation Delegations in the second half of 2019
    5. Debriefing on the Election Observation Mission to the general elections in Nigeria (23
      February and 9 March)
    6. Any other business
    7. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    08:30- 10:00
    Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 25 October 2018
    3. Chairperson's announcements
    4. Consultation on the EU Election Observation Missions in 2019 by HRVP Mogherini and decision on EP Election Observation Delegations in the first half of 2019 (January to July)
    5. Discussion on a possible procedure on individual unofficial election observation
    6. Discussion and approval of the revised text on the Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group and Implementing Provisions governing Election Observation delegations
    7. Adoption of the DEG Work Programme 2019
    8. Any other business
    9. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    08:30- 10:00
    Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 13 September 2018
    3. Chair's announcements
    4. Exchange of views with Commission and EEAS on Democracy support component in the new external financial instruments 2021/2027
    5. Any other business
    6. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    08:30- 10:00
    Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 14 June 2018
    3. Chairperson's announcements 
    4. Decision:
      - Adoption of a joint Code of Conduct for Parliamentary Delegations observing Elections in the OSCE area
    5. Exchange of views with Louis MICHEL, Co-President of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, on EP democracy support activities with ACP countries
    6. Exchange of views with Eduard KUKAN, lead-Member for the Western Balkans, on recent developments on parliamentary dialogue and capacity-building in the region
    7. Debriefing on the election observation mission to the harmonised elections of 30 July in Zimbabwe
    8. Any other business
    9. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    08:30-10:00
    Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 15 March and 24 April 2018
    3. Chair's announcements
    4. Exchange of views:
      EU Democracy support approaches towards Zimbabwe in the run-up to the elections
      and beyond, with Philippe Van Damme, Head of EU Delegation in Zimbabwe
    5. Decision on EU priorities for Election Observation Missions in the second half of 2018 (September-December)
    6. Decision on European Parliament Election Observation Delegations in the second half of 2018 (September-December)
    7. State of play of negotiations on a joint Code of Conduct for Parliamentary Delegations observing Elections in the OSCE area
    8. Any other business
    9. Next meeting

  • Brussels
    18:45- 20:00
    Room: ASP A3G-2

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 15 March 2018
    3. Chairperson's announcements
    4. Exchange of views:
      State of democracy in Zimbabwe in the run-up to the 2018 general elections:
      perspectives from Zimbabwean civil society
    5. Any other business
    6. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    08:30- 10:00
    Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 18 January 2017
    3. Chairperson's announcements
    4. Exchange of views:
      Presentation by Ms Bettina Jakobsen, Member of the European Court of Auditors, on the Court's Special Report on EU Election Observation Missions
    5. Follow-up to elections: the role and possible activities of the EP
    6. 30th anniversary of the Sakharov Prize - participation of Aung San Suu Kyi
    7. Any other business
    8. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    08.30 - 10.30

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the Draft Agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 14 December 2017
    3. Chairperson's announcements
    4. Participation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) in the DEG capacity building activities in 2018
    5. Proposal to organise an event in the EP to mark the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the European Endowment for Democracy
    6. Debriefing on the situation in Honduras after the elections by the Chief Observer Ms Marisa Matias
    7. Any other business

  • Strasbourg
    08.30 - 10.30

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 16 November 2017
    3. Chairperson's announcements
    4. Adoption of the DEG Work Programme 2018
    5. EP Election Observation Delegations in the first half of 2018 (January-July)
    6. Debriefing on the situation in Honduras after the elections by the Chief Observer Ms Marisa MATIAS
    7. Any other business
    8. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    08.30 - 10.30

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 14 September 2017
    3. Chair's announcements
    4. Exchange of views on the 2018 DEG Work Programme
    5. Consultation on 2018 EU priorities for election observation
    6. Conference on the state of democracy in Venezuela, in the margin of the 2018 Sakharov Prize Ceremony
    7. Any other business
    8. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    10:30 - 11:15

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 6 July 2017
    3. Chairperson's announcements
    4. Exchange of views on recent elections in Kenya in presence of Chief Observer Marietje Schaake
    5. Decision on a possible EP Delegation to observe elections in Nepal on 26 November 2017
    6. Any other business
    7. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    08:30 - 10:00

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 29 May 2017.
    3. Chairperson's announcements
    4. Follow-up measures to strengthen EP election observation
    5. Exchange of views on possible developments of democracy support activities with the Western Balkans
    6. Any other business
    7. Next meeting

  • Brussels
    14:00 - 15:00
    Room: ASP A5E - 2

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 6 April 2017.
    3. Chairperson's announcements
    4. Consultation on the EU Election Observation Missions in 2017 and decision on EP Election Observation Delegations in the second half of 2017 (August - December)
    5. Any other business
    6. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    09:00 - 10:00

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 16 March 2017
    3. Announcements
    4. Conclusions of the Roundtable of "Improving the accountability of Parliamentarians in election observation" (7 March 2017) presented be Alexander Graf Lambsdorff
    5. Possible revision of DEG's working methods
    6. Any other business
    7. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    10:00 - 12:00

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 16 February 2017
    3. Debriefing by Mr. David Martin, lead Member for Tanzania, on his mission to Tanzania on 8 - 9 February 2017
    4. Conclusions of the Seminar with Chief Observers on follow-up to EOM Recommendations Conclusion (31 January 2017) presented by Ms. Mariya Gabrielf
    5. Chairperson's announcements
    6. Revision of DEG's working methods
    7. Conclusions of the Roundtable on "Improving the accountability of Parliamentarians in election observation" (7 March 2017) presented by Mr. Alexander Graf Lambsdorff
    8. Any other business
    9. Next meeting

  • Strasbourg
    10:00 - 11:00

    The draft agenda included the following points:

    1. Adoption of the draft agenda
    2. Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 15 December 2016
    3. Chairperson's announcements
    4. Exchange of views with the President of the Venice Commission, Mr Gianni Buquicchio
    5. DEG position on possible EU Election Observation Missions to Algeria (legislative elections on 04.05.17), Palestine (municipal elections on 13.05.17) and Gambia (parliamentary elections on 06.04.17)
    6. Any other business
    7. Next meeting

Brochure on democracy support

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