Artificial Intelligence Policy Tracker
Council of Europe High at the time Adopted

Council of Europe adopts the first binding international treaty on AI

Concerns Framework Convention on AI (CETS 225)

Verified against the official source 26 Sep 2026 · reviewed by Bhaskar Bhatt (a factual check against the official source, not a legal review or legal advice)
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In brief

Council of Europe adopts the first binding international treaty on AI. Recorded for the Council of Europe on 17 May 2024. It concerns Framework Convention on AI (CETS 225). Afterwards the instrument is recorded as adopted. In practice: Ratifying states must ensure AI activities respect human rights, with risk and impact assessment and remedies; companies feel it through national implementation.

Date
17 May 2024
Jurisdiction
Council of Europe
Impact
High
Status afterwards
Adopted
Official source
Council of Europe

What changed?

The Committee of Ministers adopted the Framework Convention on AI and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law (CETS 225); it opened for signature on 5 September 2024 with the EU, UK, US and others signing.

What does it mean in practice?

Ratifying states must ensure AI activities respect human rights, with risk and impact assessment and remedies; companies feel it through national implementation.

Official source

Framework Convention on AI (CETS No. 225)Council of Europe · 17 May 2024

Cite this record

AIPolicyTracker (2026). “Council of Europe adopts the first binding international treaty on AI” [AIPT-CHG-0062, record version 1, verified 26 September 2026 by Bhaskar Bhatt]. https://aipolicytracker.org/id/AIPT-CHG-0062 (accessed 12 November 2026). Data licensed CC BY 4.0.

Permanent id AIPT-CHG-0062: it never changes or gets reused, and its address keeps working if this page moves.

Cite the official text alongside it: Framework Convention on AI (CETS No. 225), Council of Europe, https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list?module=treaty-detail&treatynum=225.

BibTeX
@misc{aipolicytracker2026_councilofeuropeadoptsthe,
  author       = {{AIPolicyTracker}},
  title        = {{Council of Europe adopts the first binding international treaty on AI}},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://aipolicytracker.org/changes/2024-05-17-council-of-europe-ai-convention-adopted}},
  url          = {https://aipolicytracker.org/changes/2024-05-17-council-of-europe-ai-convention-adopted},
  urldate      = {2026-11-12},
  note         = {Data licensed CC BY 4.0. Accessed 12 November 2026}
}

Disclaimer: informational only, not legal advice. Verify every claim against the linked official sources and consult a qualified lawyer before acting.