Sebastian Hallensleben is the Chair of CEN-CENELEC Joint Technical Committee 21 (JTC 21) on Artificial Intelligence, the European standardisation body responsible for developing harmonised AI standards that support the implementation of the EU AI Act. He also serves as Chief Trust Officer at Resaro, an independent third-party AI assurance provider, where he focuses on evaluating the capabilities, quality and trustworthiness of AI systems. He also co-chairs the OECD’s work on AI risk and accountability. With extensive experience at the intersection of technology, regulation and standardisation, Hallensleben previously led Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence at the VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies in Germany. His work has centred on operationalising AI ethics, developing trustworthy AI governance frameworks, and advancing privacy-preserving digital trust infrastructures. Beyond his leadership of JTC 21, he contributes to international AI governance through expert roles with the OECD, UNESCO and other global initiatives.
Beyond the algorithm: AI and equality in Europe
Closing event organised in the framework of the Technical Support Instrument project Upholding equality and non-discrimination by Equality bodies regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public administrations - Inclusion and anti-discrimination
17 Septembre 2026 | 
9:30 AM – 16:30 PM |
Brussels/Online |
Livestream
You can follow the event livestream: https://audiovisualsupport-be.zoom.us/j/89274624974?pwd=t3bX4ocA6nATroVS6cvNoUeYYfp67P.1
Meeting ID: 892 7462 4974 Password: 920019
Artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making are increasingly used in public administrations, shaping decisions that affect people’s access to rights and services. This can create opportunities to improve efficiency and service delivery, but also raises concrete risks of discrimination, opacity, and unequal access to redress if safeguards are not built in from the outset.
Against this backdrop, the equality bodies of Belgium (Unia), Finland (Non-Discrimination Ombudsman) and Portugal (CIG) sought support from the European Commission, through the Technical Support Instrument, to strengthen their readiness to prevent, detect and address AI-driven discrimination in public administrations in line with EU and Council of Europe standards and national legislation.
Over the course of the project which has been co-funded, and implemented by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the European Commission, this support has translated into concrete tools: country-tailored training courses, Europe-wide policy guidance for equality bodies and other human rights structures, and an assessment methodology to help investigate and seek remedies for the cases of discrimination involving AI and algorithmic systems.
Building on project’s key results, the project’s closing event provides a high-level forum for exchange among equality bodies, regulators, public administrations and stakeholders on how to move from project outputs to sustained practice, including through effective cooperation under the AI Act and the strengthening of equality bodies’ role under the new European standards.
The high-level event will be held in English with International Sign and livestreamed.
Master of ceremonies: Ali Al-Jaberi, senior policy consultant at various Dutch ministries and former TV correspondent for Associated Press.
Programme
Programme17 September 2026
9:30−10:00 Opening words
- Vanessa Matz, Minister of the Modernisation of the Public Administration, in charge of Public Enterprises, Public Administration, Property Management of the State, Digitalisation and the Federal Scientific Institutions, Belgium
- Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, Minister of Local and Regional Government responsible for public sector ICT, Ministry of Finance, Finland (online)
- Carla Rodrigues, Deputy Minister for Youth and Equality, Portugal
- Judit Rozsa, Director, Reform and Investment Task Force, European Commission
- Marja Ruotanen, Director General of Democracy and Human Dignity, Council of Europe (online)
Moderator: Andriy Zayats, Head of the Council of Europe Liaison Office to the European Union
10:00−10:30 Keynote: AI, structural inequality, and the future of non-discrimination in Europe
- Sandra Wachter, Professor of Technology and Regulation, Oxford University, United Kingdom (online)
Questions & answers
10:30−11:45 High-level plenary: European pathways to equal AI – from prevention of adverse impacts to accountability and redress
- Ana Carla Pereira, Director, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
- Sebastian Hallensleben, Chair of CEN-CENELEC Joint Technical Committee 21 on AI (online)
- Susanna Lindroos-Hovinheimo, Deputy Parliamentary Ombudsman, Finland
- Laura Lazaro Cabrera, Deputy Director and Equity and Data Programme Director, Center for Democracy & Technology, Europe
- Raphaële Xenidis, Assistant Professor in European Law, Sciences Po Law School, France
Interactive discussion
Moderator: Ali Al-Jaberi
11:45−13:30 Break
13:30−14:20 Tackling algorithmic discrimination cases: a civic perspective
- Patrick Charlier, Co-Director, Unia, Belgium
- Carl Mörch, Co-Director, FARI - AI for the Common Good Institute, Belgium
- Ministry representative – TBC
- Ylja Remmits, international consultant, Council of Europe
- Gianclaudio Malgieri, Professor of AI, Data Governance and Fundamental Rights, Maastricht University, Netherlands
Interactive discussion
Moderator: Menno Ettema, Head of Hate Speech and Hate Crime Unit, AI Coordinator of the Anti- discrimination and Inclusion Department, Council of Europe
14:20−15:10 Ensuring equality in AI governance
- Petri Myllymäki, AI Advisor of the Finnish government, Professor of artificial intelligence and machine learning, University of Helsinki, Finland - TBC
- Tiina Valonen, Head of Unit, Chief Specialist, Office of the Non-discrimination Ombudsman, Finland
- Jarmo Riikonen, Head of Unit, Transport and Communications Agency, Finland
- Kris Shrishak, international consultant, Council of Europe
- Joanna Goodey, Head of Justice, Digital and Migration Unit, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
Interactive discussion
Moderator: Ali Al-Jaberi
15:10−15:40 Break
15:40−16:30 The importance of (gender) equality awareness and cooperation between regulatory and equality bodies in application of AI regulation
- Carina Quaresma, President, Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality, Portugal
- Sandra Maximiano, President, ANACOM, the regulatory authority for communications, Portugal (online)
- Mário Pereira, Advisor, Ombuds office, Portugal
- Louise Hooper, international consultant, Council of Europe
- EU AI Office – TBC
Interactive discussion
Moderator: Menno Ettema
16:30−16:45 Closing remarks and future prospectives
- Massimiliano Santini, Project Lead, Reform and Investment Task Force, European Commission
- Menno Ettema, Head of Hate Speech and Hate Crime Unit, AI Coordinator of the Anti-discrimination and Inclusion Department, Council of Europe
- Patrick Charlier, Co-Director, Unia, Belgium
- Rainer Hiltunen, Non-discrimination Ombudsman, Finland
- Carina Quaresma, President, Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality, Portugal
Speakers (Alphabetical order)
Practical information
Languages: English and International Sign.
Conference format: The event will be held in a hybrid format with in-person participation by invitation only.
Registration: Both online and in-person participation in this event requires prior registration. Please register to the follow event online by 15 September 2026 at Registration form – Beyond the algorithm: AI and equality in Europe (online)
Contact: For further information regarding the event, please contact: [email protected]