Co-operation programmes

A number of Co-operation Programmes, related to the Directorate's areas of interest, are being co-ordinated or implemented directly by the teams responsible.

The pre-electoral assistance programme aims at helping the authorities with the difficult task of conducting free and fair elections, often in response to specific shortcomings identified by international observers. The programmes are elaborated in close co-operation with the country concerned and are jointly implemented with the Council of Europe's services with a long-standing experience in electoral matters, notably the Venice Commission.

The post-conflict programme consists of a series of projects specifically designed to target the needs of regions that are recovering from a conflictual past or where tension between the different communities is still a factor of instability. In 2008, the post-conflict programme is focussing on the Chechen Republic (Russian Federation), on UNMIK/Kosovo and on building people-to-people contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, through a series of meetings between schools of political studies. The programme can be adapted to the needs of the regions concerned and takes into consideration the evolving political situation.