Forum for the Future of Democracy PRESENTATION OF THE VENICE COMMISSION FOR WORKSHOP 3A The role of the media in ensuring fair elections

European Commission for Democracy through Law VENICE COMMISSION VENICE COMMISSION

1990  Partial agreement of the Council of Europe following the fall of the Berlin Wall  18 original member states

STATUTE – ARTICLE 1 The European Commission for Democracy through Law shall be an independent consultative body which co-operates with the member states of the Council of Europe, as well as with interested non-member states and interested international organisations and bodies.

2002  First enlarged agreement of the Council of Europe  Open to non-member states of the Council of Europe

2008  47 European member states  7 non-European states  10 observers/special co-operation status  1 associate member  Opinions and studies (more than 500 opinions since 1997)  Budget: 3.2 million €  Staff: 20 people(9 lawyers)

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA

ACTIVITIES  Constitutional co-operation and strengthening democratic institutions  Constitutional justice  Electoral law  Conflict settlement

REQUESTS FOR OPINION  Member or observer States  Committee of Ministers  Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe  Secretary General  Congress  European Court of Human Rights  International organisations and institutions (European Union, OSCE, etc.)

CONSTITUTIONAL CO-OPERATION  Opinions  Studies  Conferences  Seminars

Human rights Pluralism in the media Independent judiciary Institutions Checks and balances Minorities Democratic elections Local autonomy DEMOCRATIC SET-UP

FUNCTIONING OF DEMOCRACY IN PRACTICE  “Patrimoine” (European constitutional heritage)  European and international standards  National context

AIM  Constitutions and laws are viable and comply with European and international standards

RESULTS  Legal support for States  Legal support for international institutions (SG, CM, PACE, CLRAE, ECtHR, OSCE, EU)  Opinions are public and bind the Venice Commission  Opinions reflected in constitutions and laws

BUILDING DEMOCRATIC KNOW-HOW UNIDEM (UNIVERSITIES FOR DEMOCRACY) :  more than 40 UNIDEM conferences (4000 participants)

UNIDEM CAMPUS SEMINARS (TRIESTE)  Legal « Training of Trainers » for high-level civil servants  36 seminars with 900 participants who in turn trained 3000 others

CONSTITUTIONAL JUSTICE  Warsaw summit  Joint Council  Opinions on court laws  amicus curiae opinions  Cross -fertilisation  Bulletin on Constitutional Case-Law  CODICES

CONSTITUTIONAL JUSTICE  Venice Forum  CoCoSems  Regional co-operation  First World Conference on Constitutional Justice

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA

JUDICIARY Opinions on :  Guarantees for judicial independence  Status of judges  Prosecution system

OMBUDSPERSONS  Opinions on ombudsperson laws  Relation ombudspersons – constitutional courts  Amicus ombud opinions

ELECTIONS COUNCIL FOR DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS (Venice Commission, PACE and Congress)

STANDARDS AND COMPARATIVE STUDIES Codes of Good Practice  in electoral matters  on referendums  on political parties Comparative studies and seminars  elections and referendums  political parties

ASSISTANCE TO STATES  Opinions  Capacity-building (election commissions)  Training workshops  Assistance to election observation  VOTA database

CONFLICT SETTLEMENT  Study for CM  Legal advice  Close co-operation with EU, OSCE, UNMIK, UNOMIG

PUBLICATIONS  Series SCIENCE AND TECHNIQUE OF DEMOCRACY  BULLETIN ON CONSTITUTIONAL CASE-LAW

MORE INFORMATION  Venice Commission website :  Newsletter  Information brochure