Summary: November 8, 2002: Statement by Paola Amadei, Counsellor at the Third Committee, on behalf of the European Community. Human Rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyments of human rights and fundamental freedoms. 57th Session of the General Assembly - Third Committee: Item 109(b) (New York)
Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Delegates,
As a complement to the EU statement pronounced by the Danish Presidency of the European Union under Item 109, the European Commission welcomes this opportunity to present the EU Election Observation policy. This policy has been further elaborated following the adoption of the European Commission's Communication on Election Assistance and Observation of April 2000, endorsed by the Council of the EU in its Conclusions of May 2001 and the European Parliament.
As enshrined in EU treaties, human rights and democracy are an essential element in the relationship between the EU and all its partners, both in the framework of multilateral relations, such as the Cotonou Agreement, as in bilateral accords. Genuine elections are indeed an essential foundation for sustainable development and a functioning democracy. Support to election processes has become a key component of the European Union's external relations policy. It includes technical assistance to
electoral authorities and to domestic non-partisan observers, as well as the deployment of EU Election Observation Missions.
EU Observation Missions have the ambitious task of observing, reporting and making recommendations on an election process. An observation mission can also serve as conflict prevention mechanism, providing an impartial assessment of the elections, defusing tension and by its very presence deterring fraud. Above all, Observation Missions aim at enhancing the transparency of the process and the confidence of the voters.
EU Election Observation Missions (EUEOM) serve to promote democracy and human rights in a spirit of co-operation with partner countries. Deploying election observers is a way to support shared values, which are the foundation for a democratic process. We would like on this occasion to express our appreciation to partner countries for their invitations and for the support and co-operation extended to EU EOMs.
Achieving the common goal of sustainable democracy requires political commitment from all parties concerned. It involves an early dialogue between the EU and the national authorities and, on the part of the EU, consistency between election support and the overall co-operation strategy for each partner country.
Election observation is not an end in itself. In addition to the increased confidence and transparency provided during the election itself, the purpose of observation is to contribute to the democratisation process of a partner country. Follow-up to EUEOMs findings and recommendations is therefore essential to promote long-term improvements and sustainability of the election process. Follow-up is undertaken through specific co-operation programmes with the host country, through the political
dialogue with the relevant authorities and contacts with political parties and civil society organisations.
To meet the ambitious objectives set out in the field of election observation, the EU has given itself additional tools and resources. Since the first mission in the Russian Federation in 1993, the EU has further developed its election observation policy. The EU Council and the European Commission work closely together with the European Parliament to ensure that the EU speaks with one voice on an election process, in a coherent manner. Observers from all EU Member States follow training
programmes on the common European approach to election observation, to enhance the consistency of EU observation missions. European observers are discharging their duties in the most professional manner and with a full understanding of their role, rights and obligations as per the European Observer Code of Conduct.
At present, budgetary resources available for EU election observation amount to approximately €10 million per annum. These funds allow the EU to deploy 8 to 10 Observation Missions per year throughout the world. In 2002, the EU has so far observed three elections in Asia, two in Africa and one in Latin America. Priorities have to be established as the EU cannot and should not observe each and every election throughout the world. However, the fact that the EU does not send a mission to
follow a specific election should not of course be interpreted as a lack of interest in the conduct or in the outcome of that election.
The programming of EU EOMs follows a number of guiding principles, including the political significance and relevance of an EU presence, and the fact that the election process is characterised by a lack of confidence by local stakeholders, although minimum conditions for competitive elections exist. Additional considerations include the complementarity with other interventions foreseen under the human rights or the co-operation instruments, the complementarity with other donors' involvement and
the value of constructive engagement with the authorities and other stakeholders in the elections.
The final decision to observe an election follows an exploratory mission to the host country, to collect factual elements to assess whether an EU Election Observation Mission would be politically advisable, logistically feasible and useful to promote democratic development of the country. Exploratory missions also seek to determine whether the electoral process would benefit from financial, material or technical assistance to the election administration for the organisation
of the polls - time and procedures permitting- and to civil society organisations for civic and voter education, media monitoring and domestic election observation.
Once decided, EU Election Observation Missions are deployed well in advance of election day, to observe and report on the whole process. Election is not a one-day event. Observers are therefore requested to follow election preparations, the performance of the election administration, the campaign and its coverage in public and private media, the preparation of ballot papers, polling stations, polling and counting on election day, the aggregation and announcement of results, as well as
complaints and appeal procedures.
The composition of EU Observation Missions reflects the long-term approach to election observation. The Mission is normally deployed 6 to 10 weeks before polling day and will stay in the country until the announcement of official results. It is composed of a core team, headed by a Chief Observer, usually a Member of the European Parliament, and includes experts in elections, legal issues, media, observer co-ordination, logistics, statistics, etc. The core team analyses the election framework,
the election administration, the campaign, and maintains contacts with the relevant public authorities, political parties, media outlets, principal donors and civil society organisations at central level. The core team also organises the deployment of Long-term Observers (LTOs) who follow election preparations and the campaign in specific regions of the country, and arrange for the deployment of Short-term Observers (STOs) in their area of responsibility. The STOs arrive a few days prior to
polling day to observe voting and counting, as well as to provide a broad presence throughout the country to cover a representative sample of polling stations and provide the mission's nation-wide visibility.
After election day, EU EOMs issue a Preliminary Statement, containing the main findings and conclusions of the mission. The Statement is based on the long-term observation as well as reports on election day and it is delivered by the Chief Observer. It assesses an election process on the basis of internationally recognised election standards and of relevant national legislation.
A few weeks later, a final report detailing the findings of the observer mission and proposing a number of recommendations to improve future elections is released and made public.
EU Election Observation Missions are as a matter of course seeking co-operation with other international and regional organisations observing the election process. This entails regular exchange of information among the international community concerning observer deployment and preliminary findings, with the aim of reaching convergent assessment on election process.
To this end, the EU has established close contacts in the field and at headquarters' level with UNEAD and UNDP, to discuss issues of programming of election observation missions as well as operational considerations (deployment of observers, security considerations, etc.). The European Commission also pays special attention to maintaining regular exchange of information with regional organisations, such as the OAS, the African Union and SADDC, the Commonwealth, the OSCE/ODIHR, the Council of
Europe, the OIF (Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie), and with any other relevant actor in the field of election observation.
Regular exchange of information takes place also with local domestic observer groups; while the EU strongly favours the active participation of civil society in election process, the roles of international and local observers should remain distinct. International observers can provide an impartial assessment of the process, thanks to their independent viewpoint as outsiders on the political issues at stake in the elections. Domestic observers have a more in-depth knowledge of local politics and
personalities, and can ensure a broader observation effort. Objectives and principles for election observation however remain the same: international and local observers should ensure that they adopt a professional methodology to ensure observation findings are based on accurate and verifiable evidence, and that all observers adhere to their code of conduct while undertaking their duties. In addition to initiatives to support domestic observers for a particular election, the European Commission
approved in 2001 a project aimed at capacity-building for domestic observers, including training seminars and manuals to be developed in consultation with relevant regional and international partners.
We would like to conclude that democracy is not just about elections, but genuine elections are a necessary condition for democracy. The EU will therefore continue to devote great efforts to promote democratisation and respect for human rights, including the right to participate in the establishment of government through genuine and periodic elections, as such actions can make a major contribution to peace, security and the prevention of conflicts.
Thank you.
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