Draft Framework Convention on AI, Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law

The Committee on AI (CAI) of the Council of Europe has drafted the Framework Convention on AI, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law.

This AI Treaty will be the first-ever legally binding international treaty that aims at regulating this unique technology with a special focus on its impact on our human rights, democratic systems and the rule of law.

Zoltán Turbék writes on his LinkedIn post:

At the 8th Plenary meeting of CAI held in Strasbourg, between 5-8 December 2023, the Committee finished the second reading of the draft. The attached version will serve as the basis for the third reading during the 9th Plenary meeting planned to be held between 23-26 January 2024, where we will mainly focus on provisions which are still under negotiation, namely the Scope (Article 3), the Risk and impact management framework (Article 16), and the Conference of the Parties (Article 24).

After that, we’ll have a 10th Plenary meeting in March aimed at finalizing the text and submit it to the CoE Committee of Ministers for adoption already in May 2024.

It’s a unique feature of the treaty that – similarly to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime – it will be open for signature not only by CoE member States, but also non-member States which have participated in its elaboration.

It’s really encouraging to see the growing number of such States taking active part in the negotiations:
✅ right from the beginning: USA, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Holy See, Israel;
✅ and more recenty: Argentina, Australia, Costa Rica, Peru, Uruguay.
After entry into force, any non-member State of the CoE may accede to the convention after consulting the Parties of the Convention and obtaining their unanimous consent.

Please click on this link to read the full draft.