Governance

Framework Convention

Council of Europe Convention on AI, human rights, democracy, rule of law.

How the laws define this

Both characterizations present the agreement as an international treaty that establishes foundational obligations and general principles for artificial intelligence governance. They align in viewing the treaty as a binding standard for participating parties, requiring structured oversight for AI systems. However, the instruments differ significantly in how they describe the structure, scope, and execution of these commitments. Council Decision (EU) 2024/2218 focuses on formal milestones—citing adoption by the Committee of Ministers on 17 May 2024 and opening for signature on 5 September 2024—while detailing specific substantive obligations regarding fundamental-rights protections, transparency, accountability, and international cooperation. In contrast, the text of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI, Human Rights, Democracy, and Rule of Law highlights domestic implementation, emphasizing that signatory states put these general principles into effect through national legislation adapted to local contexts, offering a flexible framework rather than detailed prescriptive rules.

Synthesised from the 2 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.

How jurisdictions differ

What is distinctive in each definition, binding law in force first.

Jurisdiction	Instrument	Status	What is distinctive
European Union	Council Decision (EU) 2024/2218 of 28 August 2024 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law	In Force	Specifies EU Council Decision authorising the Union's signing of the Convention, detailing its adoption date, signature opening, and obligations on AI governance, rights protections, transparency, accountability, and cooperation.
Ukraine	Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI, Human Rights, Democracy, and Rule of Law	Proposed	Describes the Convention as a flexible international treaty with general principles and obligations for implementation via domestic legislation adapted to national contexts, noting Ukraine's signing as the 16th signatory.

What it triggers

Under Council Decision (EU) 2024/2218, which is In Force, the European Union is authorised, subject to conclusion, to sign the Framework Convention.source

Definitions (2)

The Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 17 May 2024 and opened for signature on 5 September 2024, which establishes baseline obligations for Parties on AI governance, fundamental-rights protections, transparency, accountability and international cooperation.

Council Decision (EU) 2024/2218 of 28 August 2024 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of LawDefinition 1 of 2

An international treaty establishing general principles and obligations that signatory states implement through domestic legislation adapted to national contexts, providing a flexible framework rather than detailed prescriptive rules for AI governance.

Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI, Human Rights, Democracy, and Rule of LawDefinition 2 of 2

Not to be confused with

EU AI Act / Act on Artificial Intelligence

The EU AI Act is an EU regulation with harmonised rules across Member States, while the Framework Convention is a Council of Europe treaty implemented through flexible national legislation.

European AI Board

The European AI Board coordinates EU AI rule implementation under the EU AI Act, whereas the Framework Convention sets international obligations without establishing such a board.

Questions and answers

What obligations does the Framework Convention impose?

It establishes baseline obligations for Parties on AI governance, fundamental-rights protections, transparency, accountability and international cooperation. These are general principles implemented through domestic legislation.

Has the EU signed the Council of Europe AI Convention?

Council Decision (EU) 2024/2218 authorises the European Union, subject to conclusion, to sign the Convention. It tasks the European Commission in this process.

Is Ukraine bound by the Framework Convention on AI?

Ukraine signed the Convention on May 15, 2025, as the 16th signatory, but as it is Proposed, it would require implementation through domestic legislation once ratified.