As delivered by Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Ambassador Patrick Engelberg, President of the Ministers’ Deputies,

Ambassador Jürg Lauber, President of the United Nations Human Rights Council,

Dear colleagues,

Two days ago, at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres challenged us with a question: are we ready for the future? (PAUSE) His answer was no.

Today, let us ask ourselves if we are doing all we can to put people back at the centre of this technological revolution? By this, I mean advancing human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the face of new risks and opportunities – some of which we are just starting to grasp.

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This is not the first time that digital technologies are testing our resolve. But we have risen to the occasion. The 2001 Convention on Cybercrime of the Council of Europe is one example. Our recent Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence is another.

In Paris, Canada and Japan were the latest nations to sign this Framework Convention, reaffirming a simple but powerful truth: AI must work for all humanity. Our objective is clear: to develop a global governance framework that ensures artificial intelligence is safe, ethical, inclusive, and innovative.

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That same principle guides all our work.

The Council of Europe helps member States build strong legal and policy safeguards – ensuring digital security, protecting democratic integrity, and reinforcing our core conventions. Whether it is safeguarding women from violence under the Istanbul Convention or shielding children from exploitation through the Lanzarote Convention, our goal remains the same: to ensure technology serves people, not the other way around.

The case-law of the European Court of Human Rights continues to evolve in response to the challenges posed by emerging technologies.
Its judgments are shaping how human rights apply in the digital age – from bulk interception of cross-border communications to the use of facial recognition to identify protestors, to measures affecting encryption and privacy.

These rulings, alongside Council of Europe standards, are influencing human rights protections beyond our continent.

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Dear colleagues,

No one organisation, no one country, no one company can address these challenges alone.

That is why co-operation between the Council of Europe and the United Nations matters. It is strong. It is growing. And it spans critical areas, including emerging technologies.

The Council of Europe’s legal instruments are open to states from all regions, creating opportunities for cooperation in AI, data protection, cybercrime, and more.

By connecting regional and global efforts, we can strengthen synergies and turn shared commitments into action.

Together, let us ensure that the AI and digital revolution becomes an ethical revolution.

Thank you.