188. Reiterates its calls for the electoral process, including both the pre- and post-electoral stages, to be incorporated into the different levels of political dialogue with the non-EU countries concerned, accompanied by specific measures where appropriate, with a view to ensuring the coherence of EU policies and reaffirming the crucial role of human rights and democracy; 189. Calls for increased vigilance with regard to the criteria for selection of the countries in which electoral assistance/election observation is to take place, and for compliance with the methodology and rules set up at international level, particularly concerning the independence and effectiveness of the mission; 190. Welcomes the amount of funding, which totalled a further EUR 50 million over the 18-month period of this report; Making use of European Parliament’s actions on human rights 191. Calls on the Council and the Commission to make thorough use of Parliament’s resolutions and other communications, responding in a substantive manner to the concerns and wishes expressed, particularly with respect to urgent resolutions; 192. Reiterates the need to give greater visibility to the Sakharov Prize of Freedom of Thought annually awarded by the EP; regrets that a proper follow-up is not being carried out on the well-being of the candidates and laureates, nor on the situations in their countries; calls also on the Council and the Commission to give visibility to this prize, among other things by including it in the annual report on Human Rights; calls, furthermore, on the Council and the Commission to stay in touch with the Sakharov Prize candidates and laureates to ensure continuous dialogue and monitoring of the situation of human rights in their respective countries and to offer protection to those being acutely persecuted; 193. Reminds Parliament’s delegations to systematically include debates on human rights in the agendas of interparliamentary meetings, to include in their visits projects and institutions seeking to improve respect for human rights, and to meet human rights defenders and provide them, where appropriate, with international visibility and protection; 194. Welcomes the establishment of the Sakharov Prize Laureates Network; urges that the necessary resources be found without delay to achieve its objectives and to facilitate communication between Sakharov Prize winners and Parliament by granting special status to the prize-winners, allowing them to enter Parliament’s premises with facilitated entrance procedures; ° ° ° 195. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission, to the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the candidate countries, to the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and to the governments of the countries and territories mentioned in this resolution.