A/HRC/7/28 page 26 92. The establishment of regional mechanisms for the protection of human rights defenders has been one of the major developments to advance the situation of human rights defenders in the last few years. Further efforts are needed to turn developments into achievements. 93. Regional mechanisms and structures are in their first years of existence. In establishing their own methods of work and practices, it is crucial to share experiences, compare mandates, and identify common objectives. This will facilitate the design of strategies aimed at strengthening complementarities, synergies and cross-fertilization of the mechanisms. The Special Representative hopes that initiatives in that direction will continue in the coming months and years. 94. In the area of follow-up, the potential of regional mechanisms to follow up on recommendations and communications of the Special Representative is of paramount importance. To quote but one example, one of the four areas of action established by the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders is support to United Nations special procedures, including the Special Representative. Strengthening the implementation of the EU Guidelines by raising awareness about them and by disseminating good practices on how to use them has a strategic value. In this respect, the Special Representative welcomes the recent publication of the Front Line booklet on good practices in the implementation of EU Guidelines.14 95. Regular exchanges and common planning among existing mechanisms will enable the identification and implementation of common priorities that would strengthen the overall system for the protection of human rights defenders and might prepare the ground for the establishment of new mechanisms in other regions. III. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 96. Following up on the work of the Special Representative is both a methodology as well as an end in itself. It is a methodology to monitor and assess the impact of the work of the Special Representative and to provide her with elements to identify gaps, trends, achievements and concerns in the implementation of the mandate and of the Declaration. Follow-up as an end in itself relates to the actual implementation of the recommendations of the Special Representative, including the collaboration with the mandate. As a methodology, it is part of the working methods of the Special Representative while follow-up intended as implementation of recommendations is within the responsibility of stakeholders, Governments, human rights defenders, international and regional organizations, international and regional human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions and the media. 97. The two understandings of follow-up overlap and depend one on the other. Reviews and analysis of the work of the Special Representative facilitate implementation by further refining and targeting recommendations and advance the discourse on human rights 14 “Front Line Handbook for Human Rights Defenders: What Protection Can EU and Norwegian Diplomatic Missions Offer?”, published by Front Line, November 2007.