Since the OSCE's adoption of the Copenhagen Document, a number of institutions have contributed to the development of international principles related to elections. The resulting rich body of norms, political commitments, principles, case law, comments, and recommendations is dispersed across a considerable number of documents published by various international organizations.

In response, the ODIHR developed this progress report, which sets forth a comprehensive inventory that clearly identifies: (1) the existing universal norms related to elections contained in United Nations documents; (2) the OSCE commitments from the Copenhagen Document and subsequent texts; (3) principles derived from other regional instruments applicable to the OSCE area and common standards of practice among participating States.

Published in 2003.