Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

Mr Havel had earlier that day met with Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso, who had also endorsed the proposal. The director of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, David French, and the director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, Roel von Meijenfeldt, co-authored the proposal, which has been endorsed by the European Parliament's all-party Democracy Caucus.
 
Chairing the meeting, Mr French underligned that the support of someone of the stature of Vaclav Havel for this proposal is both timely and welcome. Mr French said: 'Mr Havel knows the importance of democracy assistance programmes from his time as a dissident. He wants others to gain the benefits of democracy and human rights too.'
 
/>Mr Edward McMillan-Scott, Vice-President of the European Parliament and chairman of the Democracy Caucus, confirmed this, adding that 'The EU needs a new strategic approach to democracy and human rights'.  According to Mr McMillan-Scott, 'the transformative effect of potential EU membership is reaching its limits. While countries such as Russia are in democratic decline  and the Arab world is on the path to reform, there is an expectation among reformists for a new EU engagement in their process.