Balancing innovation and regulation: ensuring new technologies serve democracy and human rights

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 16111 | 30 January 2025

Signatories:

Mr Markus WIECHEL, Sweden, EC/DA ; Ms Iwona ARENT, Poland, EC/DA ; Ms Petra BAYR, Austria, SOC ; Mr Theo BOVENS, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Belgium, EC/DA ; Ms Laura CASTEL, Spain, UEL ; Mr Paul GAVAN, Ireland, UEL ; Mr Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO, Ukraine, EC/DA ; Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Poland, EC/DA ; Mr Mattias JONSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Olena KHOMENKO, Ukraine, EC/DA ; Mr Konur Alp KOÇAK, Türkiye, NR ; Ms Bisera KOSTADINOVSKA-STOJCHEVSKA, North Macedonia, SOC ; Ms Giulia MURATORI, San Marino, SOC ; Mr Zsolt NÉMETH, Hungary, EC/DA ; Mr George PAPANDREOU, Greece, SOC ; Mr Michael RUBBESTAD, Sweden, EC/DA ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Ms Alexandra SCHOOS, Luxembourg, EC/DA ; Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Mr Georgios STAMATIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Jessica STEGRUD, Sweden, EC/DA ; Ms Victoria TIBLOM, Sweden, EC/DA

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

Member States of the Council of Europe have expressed valid concerns about the impact of new technologies on democracy and human rights. These concerns are addressed in the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law (CETS No. 225).

At the same time, member States risk over-regulating new technologies because of the lack of broad discussion with innovators and end-users. For example, some member States, such as Iceland and Norway, propose banning Bitcoin mining over environmental and energy concerns. Additionally, the European Union’s Anti-Money Laundering Regulation classifies crypto-asset privacy payment tools as high-risk technologies.

This over-regulation increases the difficulty of distinguishing harmful innovations from those that are beneficial. Such an overly cautious policy approach not only undermines economic competitiveness but also increases the emigration of talent. It also overlooks the potential of new technologies for enhancing human freedom, particularly in terms of protection of privacy, for addressing financial exclusion and rebuilding energy infrastructure, while there is a growing demand for cutting edge solutions amid the rapid digitalisation of everyday life.

Many emerging technologies not only protect individual liberties but also expand economic opportunities, such as access to financial services or new forms of economic participation. This connection between economic policy and human rights is crucial: as emphasised in the Assembly Resolution 2180 (2017) “The “Turin process”: reinforcing social rights in Europe”, “only the enjoyment of socio-economic rights and social inclusion allows people to fully exercise their civil and political rights.”

The absence of a standardised methodology to assess the social value of emerging technologies leaves policy makers without the tools to effectively evaluate their impact. To address these challenges, the Parliamentary Assembly should encourage a multidisciplinary analysis of the societal impact of new technologies, in collaboration with human rights activists and industry representatives, with a particular emphasis on engaging youth perspectives.