A conference has been held today in Madrid (Spain) to mark the first anniversary of the opening for signature of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on artificial intelligence and human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
The Framework Convention is the first international, legally binding treaty aimed at ensuring activities within the lifecycle of artificial intelligence (AI) systems are fully consistent with human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Jointly organised by the Council of Europe's Committee on artificial intelligence (CAI) and the Complutense University of Madrid, the conference was dedicated to academic and critical reflections on the treaty. The event highlighted the convention's role in mitigating AI-related risks to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, while promoting progress and innovation.
The event brought together academic experts and members of the CAI Bureau, who shared theoretical and methodological insights on the convention's key themes, including its regulatory architecture, the negotiation process and implementation prospects.
Opened for signature on 5 September 2024 during the Conference of Council of Europe ministers of justice in Vilnius, the convention has played a pivotal role in setting standards and addressing legal gaps arising from technological advancement, while enhancing progress and promoting innovation.
Over the past year, the treaty has been signed by 15 Council of Europe member and observer states (Andorra, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Japan, United States of America), as well as by the European Union and Uruguay.
