Democracy Group
Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the President of the European Parliament and its political leaders have modified Parliament's calendar of activities. The aim is to enable Parliament to exercise its core functions, while complying with the duty of care for its Members and staff and protecting public health.
Therefore, most meetings and all external activities of the Parliament have been cancelled or postponed.
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.
- Decision of the European Parliament's Conference of Presidents, 07 February 2019 (EN) (PDF - 406 KB)
- Decision of the European Parliament's Conference of Presidents, 07 February 2019 (FR) (PDF - 455 KB)
- Decision of the European Parliament's Conference of Presidents, 07 February 2019 (DE) (PDF - 449 KB)
Composition of the Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG)
- Mr David McALLISTER (Chair AFET, EPP)
- Mr Tomas TOBÉ (Chair DEVE, EPP)
- 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)
- 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
-
15 March 2022
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 -
13 November 2020
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 -
12 March 2020
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
-
18 February 2020
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
-
16 January 2020
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 -
28 November 2019
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
-
24 October 2019
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
-
14 March 2019
Strasbourg
08:30- 10:00
Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Chairperson's announcements
- Discussion and adoption of DEG Recommendations for the next legislature
- 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 - Debriefing on the Election Observation Mission to the general elections in Nigeria (23
February and 9 March) - Any other business
- Next meeting
-
13 December 2018
Strasbourg
08:30- 10:00
Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 25 October 2018
- Chairperson's announcements
- 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)
- Discussion on a possible procedure on individual unofficial election observation
- Discussion and approval of the revised text on the Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group and Implementing Provisions governing Election Observation delegations
- Adoption of the DEG Work Programme 2019
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
25 October 2018
Strasbourg
08:30- 10:00
Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 13 September 2018
- Chair's announcements
- Exchange of views with Commission and EEAS on Democracy support component in the new external financial instruments 2021/2027
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
13 September 2018
Strasbourg
08:30- 10:00
Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 14 June 2018
- Chairperson's announcements
- Decision:
- Adoption of a joint Code of Conduct for Parliamentary Delegations observing Elections in the OSCE area - Exchange of views with Louis MICHEL, Co-President of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, on EP democracy support activities with ACP countries
- Exchange of views with Eduard KUKAN, lead-Member for the Western Balkans, on recent developments on parliamentary dialogue and capacity-building in the region
- Debriefing on the election observation mission to the harmonised elections of 30 July in Zimbabwe
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
14 June 2018
Strasbourg
08:30-10:00
Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 15 March and 24 April 2018
- Chair's announcements
- 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 - Decision on EU priorities for Election Observation Missions in the second half of 2018 (September-December)
- Decision on European Parliament Election Observation Delegations in the second half of 2018 (September-December)
- State of play of negotiations on a joint Code of Conduct for Parliamentary Delegations observing Elections in the OSCE area
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
24 April 2018
Brussels
18:45- 20:00
Room: ASP A3G-2
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 15 March 2018
- Chairperson's announcements
- Exchange of views:
State of democracy in Zimbabwe in the run-up to the 2018 general elections:
perspectives from Zimbabwean civil society - Any other business
- Next meeting
-
15 March 2018
Strasbourg
08:30- 10:00
Room: Salvador de Madariaga (S.1)
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 18 January 2017
- Chairperson's announcements
- 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 - Follow-up to elections: the role and possible activities of the EP
- 30th anniversary of the Sakharov Prize - participation of Aung San Suu Kyi
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
18 January 2018
Strasbourg
08.30 - 10.30
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the Draft Agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 14 December 2017
- Chairperson's announcements
- Participation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) in the DEG capacity building activities in 2018
- Proposal to organise an event in the EP to mark the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the European Endowment for Democracy
- Debriefing on the situation in Honduras after the elections by the Chief Observer Ms Marisa Matias
- Any other business
-
14 December 2017
Strasbourg
08.30 - 10.30
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 16 November 2017
- Chairperson's announcements
- Adoption of the DEG Work Programme 2018
- EP Election Observation Delegations in the first half of 2018 (January-July)
- Debriefing on the situation in Honduras after the elections by the Chief Observer Ms Marisa MATIAS
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
16 November 2017
Strasbourg
08.30 - 10.30
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 14 September 2017
- Chair's announcements
- Exchange of views on the 2018 DEG Work Programme
- Consultation on 2018 EU priorities for election observation
- Conference on the state of democracy in Venezuela, in the margin of the 2018 Sakharov Prize Ceremony
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
14 September 2017
Strasbourg
10:30 - 11:15
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 6 July 2017
- Chairperson's announcements
- Exchange of views on recent elections in Kenya in presence of Chief Observer Marietje Schaake
- Decision on a possible EP Delegation to observe elections in Nepal on 26 November 2017
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
06 July 2017
Strasbourg
08:30 - 10:00
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 29 May 2017.
- Chairperson's announcements
- Follow-up measures to strengthen EP election observation
- Exchange of views on possible developments of democracy support activities with the Western Balkans
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
29 May 2017
Brussels
14:00 - 15:00
Room: ASP A5E - 2
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 6 April 2017.
- Chairperson's announcements
- Consultation on the EU Election Observation Missions in 2017 and decision on EP Election Observation Delegations in the second half of 2017 (August - December)
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
06 April 2017
Strasbourg
09:00 - 10:00
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 16 March 2017
- Announcements
- Conclusions of the Roundtable of "Improving the accountability of Parliamentarians in election observation" (7 March 2017) presented be Alexander Graf Lambsdorff
- Possible revision of DEG's working methods
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
16 March 2017
Strasbourg
10:00 - 12:00
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 16 February 2017
- Debriefing by Mr. David Martin, lead Member for Tanzania, on his mission to Tanzania on 8 - 9 February 2017
- Conclusions of the Seminar with Chief Observers on follow-up to EOM Recommendations Conclusion (31 January 2017) presented by Ms. Mariya Gabrielf
- Chairperson's announcements
- Revision of DEG's working methods
- Conclusions of the Roundtable on "Improving the accountability of Parliamentarians in election observation" (7 March 2017) presented by Mr. Alexander Graf Lambsdorff
- Any other business
- Next meeting
-
16 February 2017
Strasbourg
10:00 - 11:00
The draft agenda included the following points:- Adoption of the draft agenda
- Adoption of the minutes of the meeting of 15 December 2016
- Chairperson's announcements
- Exchange of views with the President of the Venice Commission, Mr Gianni Buquicchio
- 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)
- Any other business
- Next meeting
Brochure on democracy support
- The European Parliament supports democracy and human rights around the globe (EN) (PDF - 940 KB)
- Le soutien à la démocratie dans le monde (FR) (PDF - 1018 KB)
- Demokratieförderung weltweit (DE) (PDF - 878 KB)
- Apoyo a la democracia en todo el mundo (ES) (PDF - 1 MB)
- Il sostegno globale alla democrazia (IT) (PDF - 1 MB)
- Globalne wsparcie demokracji (PL) (PDF - 1 MB)