Community of Democracies debate partnerships in democracy building
The Lithuanian presidency of the Community of Democracies organised a lively and engaging debate in
Brussels on Monday 16 November on New Partnerships in Democracy
Building. The informal round table meeting was attended by a large
number of representatives from the European Parliament, the
Commission, diplomatic missions and civil society organisations,
including the foreign ministers of a number of Community of Democracies
member states, the President and Vice President of the European
Parliament, Jerzy Buzek and Edward McMillan-Scott, directors of the
Commission's Directorates General and high-level representatives from
the USA and NATO.
The meeting sought to build on the momentum created under the successive Czech and Swedish presidencies of the Council of the European Union, which have been instrumental in bringing about the Council Conclusions on Democracy Support, published 17 November. Accordingly, the Community of Democracies round table reflected on ways that the EU could achieve greater coherence and effectiveness in the support of democracy building.