Feasibility Study on a Legal Framework for Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law

The Feasibility Study on a Legal Framework for Artificial Intelligence was developed to assess the need and scope for a Council of Europe instrument addressing AI’s impact on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. It concludes that existing legal mechanisms are insufficient to address AI-specific challenges and proposes a comprehensive, binding framework complemented by flexible, sectoral instruments. By identifying key principles—transparency, accountability, proportionality, non-discrimination, and oversight—the study laid the groundwork for negotiating the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law (CETS 225), making it a pivotal step in the Council’s move toward binding international AI governance.