The aim of the DG EXPO framework service contract is to provide the European Parliament’s committees with timely, expert, and evidence-based analysis on foreign policy and related issues. By engaging one or more research networks, the contract ensures the delivery of ad hoc, short-term expertise in the form of concise written papers, presentations, and participation in meetings or workshops. This support strengthens committees’ capacity to assess policy options, conduct impact assessments, evaluate legislation, and respond effectively to Commission proposals or Council activities, while also providing a solid basis for the committees’ own initiatives.
LOT 7 – HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
Human rights
- UN human rights conventions and treaties; development of new international human rights standards and treaties; narratives and discourses undermining international human rights standards;
- Human rights related targets in the Sustainable Development Goals (SGD 16 in particular);
- UN human rights bodies, including Human Rights Council (including special procedures, UN special rapporteurs), UN General Assembly Third Committee, UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (and other UN monitoring bodies), OHCHR, UNHCR, ILO;
- Regional conventions and institutions on human rights and democracy: OSCE (including ODIHR, representative on media freedom); Council of Europe; regional mechanisms in the Americas, Africa, and Asia;
- Other specialised actors on human rights at global, regional and local level, in particular civil society organisations, human rights defenders, national human rights institutions (NHRIs), Ombudsmen;
- International criminal justice, including International Criminal Court and other international criminal tribunals/special courts, Universal Jurisdiction;
- Human rights in armed conflict and post-conflict crisis situations; genocide prevention; responsibility to protect (R2P) and human rights; international humanitarian law, international refugee law;
- Human rights in political transitions; transitional justice;
- Civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights, including death penalty, minority rights, labour rights, women’s rights, non-discrimination, rights of the child; rights of persons with disabilities and LGBTI people;
- Business & human rights; corporate social responsibility and due diligence;
- Human rights and sustainable development, including environment and climate change;
- Human rights and new technologies;
- Human rights and corruption;
- EU external human rights policy actors: Foreign Affairs Council, Political and Security Committee, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice- President of the European Commission, European External Action Service, European Commission, Human Rights Working Group (COHOM), EU Special Representative for Human Rights, human rights focal points in delegations;
- Targeted EU human rights policy instruments: Strategic Framework and Action Plan on human rights and democracy; human rights dialogues and consultations; demarches and declarations; human rights and democracy clauses in international agreements; human rights guidelines; human rights and democracy country strategies; external financing instruments; sanctions;
- Mainstreaming of human rights in EU’s external policies: human rights and development cooperation (rights-based approach to development), EU trade policy, human rights in EU counter-terrorism policy, in CSDP missions, in enlargement process and neighbourhood policy;
- Human rights in the external aspects of EU’s internal policies: migration, refugees and asylum, EU border management, human trafficking;
- Competences, policies and structures of the European Parliament for promoting human rights din the EU’s external relations;
Democracy and democracy support
- International standards on democracy, including elections, and on election observation;
- International organisations dealing with democracy standard setting and monitoring, including election observation and follow up to elections (UN, regional organisations like Council of Europe and Venice Commission, OSCE/ODIHR, AU, OAU, IDEA,);
- Summit for Democracy process;
- Parliamentary democracy/role of parliaments and parliamentary cooperation;
- Parliamentary actors engaged in democracy support and election observation as well as election follow up, such as IPU, PACE, OSCE-PA, PAP;
- Non-state actors engaged in democracy and elections, including democracy defenders, domestic election observers, democratic party foundations;
- New technological developments relevant to democracy and elections;
- Disinformation/information manipulation and democracy;
- Democracy and rule of law, good governance, anti-corruption policies;
- EU democracy support actors: Foreign Affairs Council, Political and Security Committee, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice- President of the European Commission, European External Action Service, European Commission, European Endowment for Democracy;
- Targeted EU democracy support policy and instruments: Strategic Framework and Action Plan on human rights and democracy; human rights and democracy clauses in international agreements; Neighbourhood and enlargement policies; human rights and democracy country strategies; external financing instruments; Team Europe Democracy; election observation and follow-up;
- Competences, policies and structures of the European Parliament for promoting democracy in the EU’s external relations and supporting parliaments and other democracy actors, including parliamentary election observation and follow up.
