This phase is essential to establish the electoral calendar and to ensure the logistics of an electoral process. It requires a clear and appropriate budget and timetable, the recruitment of temporary election staff and logistics such as accessible polling stations and the printing of election material.

Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO):

  • The Council of Europe anti-corruption body monitors how member states comply with standards on transparency of election and party financing (GRECO Third Evaluation Round)

Information Society Department:

  • The Information Society Department is responsible for work on media, information technologies and action against crime. It has issued a guidance note on election interference by means of computer systems covered by the Council of Europe’s Cybercrime Convention.
  • It works with the European Union on the Cyber East Project, producing material on election interference, election cyber threats, and election security preparation, and provides technical exercises focusing on election security

Parliamentary Assembly Election Observation and Interparliamentary Cooperation Division:

  • This division is in charge of observing parliamentary and presidential elections as well as referendums, both before and during the process.

Congress – Observation of Local and Regional Elections:

  • The Congress follows up election observation reports approved by its monitoring committee and adopted at Congress plenary sessions; tracking recurring and transversal thematic issues and post-electoral dialogue

Directorate of Democratic Participation, Youth Department:

  • The directorate promotes youth participation in political processes as a priority and develops and carries out youth policies, including a panEuropean platform for bilateral and multilateral co-operation and exchange of experience and good practice.

Elections and Participatory Democracy Division:

  • The division develops and implement electoral co-operation, technical assistance and advice, and helps election commissions and other stakeholders involved in elections to build up their capacities.
  • It works with the European Union on the Cyber East Project, producing material on election interference, election cyber threats, and election security preparation and provides technical exercises.