Technical support to Team Europe Democracy (TED) Initiative

Team Europe Democracy (TED) Initiative

Strengthening democracy through collaboration, evidence, and expertise

Democracy, alongside human rights, the rule of law, and human dignity, is essential for building peaceful, stable, and prosperous societies. Yet, the world faces a growing wave of autocratisation — with more than a quarter of the global population now living under increasingly authoritarian regimes. The Team Europe Democracy (TED) Initiative responds to this challenge by uniting the European Union and 14 EU Member States to promote and defend democracy worldwide.

Launched in 2021 by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), TED provides a coordinated, strategic European response to strengthen democratic governance, civic participation, and media freedom. Its Secretariat, implemented by GIZ and Enabel, supports evidence-based action, coordination, and learning across Europe’s democracy support community.

TED’s work is built on three pillars:

1. Research – generating and sharing knowledge on effective democracy support.

2. The TED Network – connecting EU institutions, Member States, civil society, and experts to exchange best practices and coordinate actions.

3. Expertise at country level – providing tailored technical support to partner countries.

Through its thematic working groups, TED focuses on:

• Rule of law, justice, and anti-corruption

• Political and civic participation

• Media freedom and digital democracy

The TED Network serves as a collaborative platform for dialogue, joint initiatives, and evidence sharing among European and civil society actors. It aims to strengthen accountability, transparency, and inclusive governance worldwide.

By fostering cooperation and learning, TED helps transform shared European values into global action — promoting societies where democracy, human rights, and freedom can thrive.

Next to being an active member organisation of the TED Network, elbarlament supports the implementation of the TED Working Groups (WGs) 1 and 3 through a service contract with GIZ, providing expertise and operational assistance across their annual work plans. Our work strengthens collaboration among European actors and contributes to developing shared strategies for democracy support.