On February 1-3, 2023, the Council of Europe’s Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAI) resumed its negotiations for an international convention on AI. Discussions focused on the preamble, the final clauses as well as the follow-up mechanisms that aims to ensure an effective implementation of the convention in the domestic legal order of the parties. Following the adoption of the European Council decision, the European Commission is representing the Union in those negotiations and actively participating in the discussions on the various chapters of the zero draft of the convention, which was made available by the Committee on its webpage.

During the CAI Plenary meeting of 1-3 February, the European Union in particular supported an effective follow-up and oversight mechanism for the implementation of the future convention, including through the establishment of the Consultation of the Parties and supervisory authorities designated by the parties, as proposed in the zero draft.

While CAI is expected to finalise its negotiations by November 2023, the EU is also expected to adopt its own legal framework around the same time. The EU’s AI Act proposal, that is still negotiated by the EU co-legislators, aims to protect people's safety and fundamental rights, and at the same time promote a regulatory environment for innovative and trustworthy AI applications. It does so by proposing the classification of risks associated with AI and establishing specific requirements based on that classification.

Both initiatives are moved by the great potential of AI to revolutionize various fields, but also the concerns raised regarding its potential negative impacts on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. If the EU joins the Council of Europe’s convention on AI, the EU's AI act is expected to transpose the convention into the EU legal order. This makes the consistency between the two documents particularly important for the EU and the EU Member States.  

The next CAI meeting is taking place on April 19-21 when the Committee will continue with the examination of the zero draft.

Find out more about EU’s mandate and participation in the CAI negotiations on our previous blog.