ANNUAL REPORT 2003 Elections “The ODIHR's experience in monitoring elections and working with domestic observer groups has helped provide a foundation for our own training programmes and seminars. We have adopted the OSCE system of long-term and short-term observers, who also use ODIHR forms to record the results of their observation. “Our co-operation with the ODIHR has been an important factor in increasing our standing with state authorities in Ukraine. For example, on the basis of ODIHR recommendations to involve domestic observers in the election process, we developed a legislative amendment that is currently being considered by the Ukrainian parliament.” Ihor Popov is Chairman of the Ukrainian Committee of Voters. Domestic Election Observers was released in October 2003 In response to this development, the ODIHR was requested at the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting and pro- by the OSCE Permanent Council to develop a practical guide vides domestic observer groups with methodology and to democratic elections best practice, including a compila- tools that can be used to develop a comprehensive and sys- tion of existing commitments and standards. To address this tematic approach to election observation. task, the ODIHR established a group of 10 international experts with experience in electoral and human rights practices that met several times in 2002 and 2003. 3. Development of a progress report on commitments for democratic elections in OSCE participating States As a result of their efforts, the ODIHR compiled a progress report entitled Existing Commitments for Democratic Elections in OSCE Participating States, which was submitted to the Permanent Council in June 2003. This sets out a com- Since its adoption in 1990, the OSCE Copenhagen Docu- prehensive inventory of the existing universal norms con- ment has been acknowledged as one of the main interna- tained in various international documents, principles de- tional texts setting forth principles for democratic elections rived from other regional instruments applicable to the in the OSCE region and has served as a reference for the de- OSCE area, and common standards of practice among velopment of similar documents elsewhere in the world. The participating States. commitments outlined in the Copenhagen Document have guided the election-related work of the ODIHR since its es- The report was welcomed by the Ministerial Council in tablishment as the Office for Free Elections in 1991 and con- Maastricht in December 2003, which tasked the Permanent tinue to be highly relevant. However, since 1990, a number Council to consider the need for additional commitments on of institutions have contributed to the development of prin- elections. The ODIHR stands ready to undertake further ciples related to elections, and the body of texts at national, work in this regard. regional, and international levels on this subject has grown significantly. 13