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law:coe:ai_convention

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Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law (CETS No. 225)

Draft – editorial review pending. As of 27 September 2026.

Type Treaty (framework convention)
Adopted by Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (open also to non-member States and the EU)
Adopted 17 May 2024; opened for signature on 5 September 2024 (Vilnius)
Legal status Not in force as of the latest verified information. Entry into force requires five ratifications, including at least three Council of Europe member States (Art. 30). The European Union became a Party on 15 May 2026; other signatories had not ratified according to the Council of Europe page consulted [to be verified against the Treaty Office chart]
Official text Council of Europe (CETS 225)
Subject area Artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons

Overview

The Framework Convention requires Parties to ensure that activities within the lifecycle of AI systems are consistent with human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It sets general principles (such as human dignity, transparency and oversight, accountability, equality and non-discrimination, privacy, reliability and safe innovation), requires remedies and procedural safeguards, and provides for risk and impact management. Parties choose how to apply it to activities of private actors. Matters relating to national defence are excluded from its scope. It is referred to in debates on the protection of democratic processes against AI-enabled manipulation.

Provisions relevant to the cyber and information sphere

  • Art. 3 – Scope: public authorities and private actors acting on their behalf; Parties address risks from private actors in a manner of their choosing, by declaration. Art. 3(2)–(4) exclude activities related to the protection of national security interests (subject to conditions), research and development not yet made available, and national defence.
  • Art. 5 – Parties shall adopt or maintain measures to ensure that AI systems are not used to undermine the integrity, independence and effectiveness of democratic institutions and processes, including individuals' fair access to and participation in public debate and their ability to freely form opinions.
  • Art. 8 – Transparency and oversight, including identification of content generated by AI systems.
  • Arts. 14–15 – Remedies and procedural safeguards, including notice that one is interacting with an AI system.
  • Art. 16 – Risk and impact management framework.
  • Art. 30 – Signature and entry into force.

Application to cyber and information operations

No documented application yet; the Convention is not in force.

Recent developments

  • 2024-09-05: Opened for signature; first signatories included Andorra, Georgia, Iceland, Norway, Republic of Moldova, San Marino, United Kingdom, Israel, United States and the European Union.
  • 2026-05-15: The European Union deposits its instrument during the 135th Session of the Committee of Ministers in Chișinău (Council of Europe).
  • As of the date above, the Council of Europe lists signatures by 15 member States (Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom) and by Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan, the United States and Uruguay [to be verified against the Treaty Office chart].

Sources

Change log

  • 2026-09-27: Entry created (draft).
law/coe/ai_convention.1790536041.txt.gz · Last modified: by lfpo