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European Network of Political Foundations

ENoP

ENoP works in many cross-cutting policy areas such as development cooperation, democracy support, human rights, migration, gender equality and others.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Jutta Urpilainen (Commissioner) and Transparency International Liaison Office to the European Union and

10 Nov 2020 · Democracy Support Roundtable

Meeting with Daniel Mes (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

13 Feb 2020 · Roundtable discussion on the European Green Deal

Response to EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024

4 Feb 2020

The Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2015-2019 strongly prioritised human rights issues, with democracy mentioned only as a secondary issue in a few of listed actions. However, human rights and democracy are linked intrinsically. Democracy is a mechanism to organise and manage society built on fundamental freedoms. In societies where the democratic concept is not used as a basis for the development of structures and procedures of government and political decision-making, there is little chance that basic human rights will be respected. Therefore, we call on the EU to highlight the strong linkages between human rights and democracy in its new Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024 and to accord democracy support with at least the same importance as the protection of human rights receives. Recommendations: 1. Include a standalone chapter on “democracy support” The Action Plan should illustrate in a standalone chapter how the EU will promote democratic participation and accountability mechanisms, and their linkages to the sustainable protection of human rights. This should be separate from chapters on human rights institutions, justice systems, good governance mechanisms and civil society. 2. Ensure in a section of the “democracy support” chapter that the concept of “democratic rule”, as promoted by the EU, will be upgraded to “inclusive and effective democracy” in order to underscore the protection of human rights for all citizens In a section of the “democracy support” chapter the concept of the “rule of the people” should be defined as: an inclusive and effective democracy, in which minorities, disadvantaged and marginalised groups receive full protection of their human rights, and in which the authority of the democratic institutions serves the citizens. The democratic institutions should remain transparent and independent from economically powerful structures that go after private/power-related interests. 3. How the EU will support authentic political parties and pluralistic political party systems as centrepieces of inclusive and effective democracies needs should be described in section of the “democracy support” chapter A further section of the “democracy support” chapter, should describe how the EU will promote the development of legal and financial frameworks to underpin pluralistic political party systems and authentic democratic political parties. Competition between political parties, based on clear manifestos and on their internal democratic structures, controlled by their members, is the core of democratic systems. 4. Strengthen informative, pluralistic and independent media and build the capacities of citizens to better understand, verify and use the information that comes from various communication channels Systematic support for civic and political education has to become an important aspect of EU Human Rights and Democracy support. 5. In a separate chapter, the Action Plan should identify approaches to dealing with dangers for democracy and human rights from populism, the misuse and weakening of media, the destruction of the independence and authority of justice systems, the undermining of democratic processes by the unrestricted use of money 6. The areas of “rule of law” and “justice systems” as core elements of inclusive and effective democracies should be given more attention If basic human rights are enshrined in the constitution of a country but are not accompanied by implementing legislation, or if the legislation exists but is not enforced by public administrations, the protection of human rights, especially those of disadvantaged or marginalised groups, is not secured. 7. The capacity for civil society organisations to work with and strengthen authentic democratic parties and legitimate bodies of representative democracy in their policy participation and monitoring functions has to be strengthened
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Meeting with Stefano Manservisi (Director-General Directorate-General for International Partnerships)

22 Feb 2017 · Future cooperation and common goals