Reference Document Nr. 8: Engaging and Supporting Parliaments Worldwide: Strategies and methodologies for EC action in support to parliaments

This Reference Document has been prepared by Dr. Jonathan Murphy with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA). Some chapters were worked on by Greg Power, who developed the assessment framework, and Jose Macuane.

The publication process was steered and coordinated by the Democracy Sector of the Governance, Security, Human Rights and Gender Unit within EuropeAid, and in particular Thomas Huyghebaert, Head of the Democratisation Sector.

It benefited enormously from discussions within and comments from a Reference Group, which was made up of representatives from different units of the Quality of Operations Directorate as well as other geographical and thematic directorates in EuropeAid, and of the External Relations and Development Directorates of the European Commission. The process also benefited from inputs from the European Parliament’s Office for Promotion of Parliamentary Democracy (OPPD) and external partners such as the United Nations Development Programme.

This Reference Document is a practical tool for use in planning European Commission (EC) parliamentary strengthening programmes and to a lesser extent in engaging with parliaments(1) in development cooperation in partner countries. It is geared for use by European Union (EU) Delegation staff, both political and operations staff, but is also of use to other actors  (donors, practitioners) as well as parliamentarians and parliamentary staff involved in parliamentary strengthening.