Updated January 2024

Key recent developments (October 2021 – January 2024)

  • 26/10/2021 – A multistakeholder conference on “Current and Future Challenges of Co-ordinated Policies on AI Regulation” was held by the Hungarian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers and the Council of Europe. Speakers and attendees included numerous high-ranking representatives of international organisations, governments, NGOs and AI business community leaders. Conference conclusions are available.
  • 03/12/2021 – The Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAHAI) completed its mandate. The Committee of Ministers received the final deliverable titled “Possible elements of a legal framework on artificial intelligence, based on the Council of Europe’s standards on human rights, democracy and the rule of law”.
  • 10/01/2022 – First meeting of the Council’s AI Co-ordination Group held to ensure continued co-ordination on AI work between various sectors of the Organisation. This co-ordination will occur continuously, both on the way towards the first meeting of the Committee on AI (CAI) and subsequently.
  • 4-6/04/2022 - First CAI Plenary meeting held in Rome, Italy, preceded by a High-Level Segment co-organised with the Italian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers.
  • 17/05/2022 - Second meeting of the AI Coordination Group
  • 21-23/09/2022 - Second CAI Plenary meeting.
  • 18/10/2022 - Third meeting of the AI Coordination Group.
  • 11-13/01/2023 - Third CAI Plenary meeting.
  • 24/01/2023 - Fourth meeting of the AI Coordination Group.
  • 1-3/02/2023 - Fourth CAI Plenary meeting.
  • 29/03/2023 - Fifth meeting of the AI Coordination Group.
  • 19-21/04/2023 - Fifth CAI Plenary meeting.
  • 31/05 - 02/06/2023 - Sixth CAI Plenary meeting.
  • 27/09/2023 - Sixth meeting of the AI Coordination Group.
  • 24-26/10/2023 - Seventh CAI Plenary meeting.
  • 20/11/2023 - Seventh meeting of the AI Coordination Group.
  • 5-8/12/2023 - Eighth CAI Plenary meeting.

 

1. Binding and non-binding legal instruments (standards)

  1. 1.1 Transversal
  1. 1.2. Privacy and Data Protection
  1. 1.3. Justice and public administration
  1. 1.4. Healthcare and Biomedicine
  1. 1.5. Non-discrimination, Gender equality
  1. 1.6. Social Rights
  1. 1.7. Education
  1. 1.8. Children’s rights
  1. 1.9. Freedom of expression and culture
  • [Ongoing] Guidelines on the use of digital tools including artificial intelligence for journalism/by journalists -  MSI-RES (by 2024)
  • [Ongoing] Guidance Note on countering the spread of online mis- and disinformation through fact-checking and platform design solutions in a human rights compliant manner - MSI-INF (by 2024)
  • [Ongoing] Development of Recommendation and Study on the impacts of digital technologies on freedom of expression - MSI-DIG
  • [Ongoing] Development of Recommendation on Combating Hate Speech - ADI/MSI-DIG
  • [Ongoing] Draft standard-setting instrument with guiding principles for media and communication governance in the context of the new media and information paradigm based on social media distribution, taking account of related risks (manipulation of public opinion, lack of public trust, information disorder) - MSI-REF
  • Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the roles and responsibilities of internet intermediaries - CM/Rec(2018)2

2. Studies, reports and conclusions of key events

  1. 2.1. Transversal

Regulatory feasibility and similar studies

Other materials

  1. 2.2. Privacy and Data Protection
  1. 2.3. Justice and public administration
  1. 2.4. Democratic governance
  1. 2.5. Non-discrimination, Gender equality
  1. 2.6. Action against crime
  1. 2.7. Freedom of expression and culture
  1. 2.8. Youth policy

2.9. Education

  • Artificial intelligence and education – a critical view through the lens of human rights, democracy, and rule of law, November 2022

 

3. PACE Reports related to AI

 

4. Other AI initiatives, including future activities

  1. 4.1. Justice and public administration
  • [Ongoing] Development of tools with a view to offer a framework and safeguards to member States and justice professionals willing to create or use ICT and/or IA mechanisms in judicial systems in order to improve the efficiency and quality of justice – CEPEJ
  • Quarterly meetings of the “CEPEJ Artificial Intelligence Advisory Board” (AIAB) aimed at monitoring the emergence of AI in the justice system and advising the CEPEJ working groups accordingly - CEPEJ-GT-QUAL (2022)3rev1
  • Progressive updates of the “Resource Center on Cyberjustice and Artificial Intelligence”, providing an overview of AI systems used in the adjudication of justice.
  • Regular meetings of the “European Cyberjustice Network”, identifying and exchanging on emerging issues of Digitalisation and AI.
  • Revised roadmap for ensuring an appropriate follow-up of the CEPEJ Ethical Charter on the use of artificial intelligence in judicial systems and their environment - CEPEJ(2021)16, 9 December 2021 – CEPEJ
  • 2022 – 2025 CEPEJ Action plan: “Digitalisation for a better justice” CEPEJ(2021)12Final
  • [Planned] Factsheet on Generative AI and Justice, with the aim of guiding legal professionals on the responsible use of such publicly available tools in the administration of justice.
  • [Ongoing] Development of an Online course on the efficiency and quality of justice, including a module on AI.
  • 19th European Conference of Electoral Management Bodies on “Artificial intelligence and electoral integrity - Venice Commission, 14-15 November 2022
  • International congress on effective political participation and fundamental rights entitled “Digital Technologies: Democracy and Regulation in Europe and America” in order to develop further the ongoing debates on the regulatory process of digital technologies, social media, and artificial intelligence currently taking place in Europe and Latin America - Venice Commission, 20-21 June 2023
  • 17th UniDem Med Seminar on "Digital transformation and artificial intelligence : rules and applications", bringing together senior public officials from the Southern Mediterranean for an exchange of experience with experts from European countries and presentation of Council of Europe standards and initiatives with regard to data protection and artificial intelligence - Venice Commission, 21-22 November 2023
  • [Planned] Update of the Venice Commission’s electoral standards in the field of artificial intelligence and new technologies, in the form of a declaration to the Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matter.
  • (In 2023-2025) Potential setting up of a new drafting group or where relevant a subordinate body to the CDCJ to address the specific aspects of emerging new technologies and legal services in the areas of expertise of CDCJ (public and civil law) - CDCJ
  • The project Foster Transparency of Judicial Decisions and Enhancing the National Implementation of the ECHR (TJENI) aims to propose/test advanced technological solutions for publication and categorization of judicial decisions. Therefore, the testing of existing IT tools that support the summarisation process, with a specific focus on the Greek language was done under the project. On 18 and 19 November 2023, a TJENI Hackathon on finding innovative tools to support the digitalisation of justice will be held in Paris. On 24 November 2023, in cooperation with the French Institute for Research of Law and Justice, the Cyberjustice Laboratory, and with the support of the University of Strasbourg a conference on cyberjustice was hosted in Strasbourg. The project also provided a grant for Romanian research institute to develop an AI based tool for automated anonymization of judicial decisions for their publication. Finally, TJENI project is supporting the development of the HELP course on AI.
  • Cooperation project “Digital by Default”-Optimisation of efficiency and quality of judicial services and transparency of judicial decisions supported development of Terms of Reference by Croatian Ministry of Justice for procurement an IT Tool based on AI for automated anonymisation of judicial decisions and   automated publication in open database. The project also provided a few documents including: Analysis and Recommendations for publication of judicial decisions based on use automated AI solution; Methodology for AI based anonymisation and publication of judicial decisions in line with standards on personal data protection.
  1. 4.2. Democratic governance
  •  (By 2024) Produce a handbook on the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence by the public administration, identifying case studies, best practice and policy recommendations - CDDG
  1. 4.3. Healthcare and Biomedicine
  1. 4.4. Non-discrimination, Gender equality
  • Online course on AI and discrimination available for member States on the HELP platform, run in cooperation with the French Ombudsoffice.
  • [Ongoing] Addressing problems with respect to the use of AI tools in country monitoring activities - ECRI
  1. 4.5. Social Rights
  1. 4.6. Education
  • [Ongoing] The State of Artificial Intelligence and Education Across Europe: the results of a Survey of Council of Europe Member States 
  • [Planned] Sectoral and specific legal instrument to regulate the use of artificial intelligence systems in education - Steering Committee for Education (CDEDU)
  • [Planned] CM Recommendation on teaching and learning about Artificial Intelligence
  • [Planned] Feasibility study for an international review system for EdTech solutions
  1. 4.7. Youth policy
  • [Planned] Youth policy standards and other institutional responses to newly emergent issues affecting young people’s rights and transition to adulthood, including AI - Joint Council on Youth
  • [Planned] Development of learning resources for AI literacy - Youth Department
  1. 4.8. Action against crime
  • [Ongoing] Groundwork to explore risks and benefits of AI (measures need be taken to prohibit the use of software algorithms with corrupt intent and great potential of AI to improve the effectiveness of steps taken to combat corruption, for instance in being used in complex investigations) - GRECO
  • [Ongoing] A comprehensive AI-related initiative is being developed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) - of which MONEYVAL is an associate member - on the use of AI technologies to combat money laundering and terrorism financing - MONEYVAL
  • [Ongoing] Artificial intelligence and criminal law - legal instrument - CDPC
  1. 4.9. Freedom of expression, culture and cultural heritage
  • Publication on E-Relevance of Arts and Culture in the Age of Artificial Intelligence - Culture and Cultural Heritage Division
  • [Ongoing] Working group on policy guidelines for member States to complement Council of Europe standards in the fields of culture, creativity and cultural heritage addressing the challenges related to digitalisation and the impact of AI in these fields. Creativity and innovation are specifically pertinent aspects to be dealt with in this work, given the CDCPP's realm (culture, heritage and landscape) and natural link to sustainable development and climate crisis topics - Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP)

     4.10. Children's Rights 

  • Handbook for policy makers on the rights of the child in the digital environment - 2020
  • [Ongoing] Report on the Rights of the Child and Artificial Intelligence [Concept note] - CDENF
  • [Planned] Capacity building event on threats and opportunities of emerging technologies (including AI and XR) to protect children against child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse - Lanzarote Committee (October/November 2024)
  • [Planned] European Day to end child sexual abuse: Research and awareness raising about threats and opportunities of emerging technologies (including AI and XR) for the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (November 2024)

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