Working Together for a Human-Centred Digital Future – Parliamentary Cooperation for Democratic Digital Governance – Opening Plenary 2025
Parliamentarian session on invitation by PACE
12 May 2025 | 16:00 - 17:15 CEST | Hemicycle
Consolidated programme 2025
As digital technologies increasingly shape our democracies, economies, and societies, parliaments and parliamentarians are central to ensuring that this transformation reflects shared values. This session brings together elected representatives from across the world to exchange experiences and explore how to shape digital governance that upholds human dignity, enables innovation, and supports inclusive development. It will highlight the role of parliaments in translating international standards -such as those of the Council of Europe, the EU, OECD, and the United Nations etc. - into national policies that both manage risks and harness opportunities offered by artificial intelligence and internet technologies. Rather than focusing solely on challenges, the event and ensuing exchange aim to explore how digital tools, when guided by clear democratic principles, can help advance transparency, scientific progress, participatory governance, and the protection of human rights.
Session description
16:00 – 16:02 Welcome by the Moderator
Ms. Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, Vice Chair of PACE Brief welcome and framing of the session, stressing the importance of parliamentary leadership and international cooperation for digital governance rooted in democracy and human rights.
16:02 – 16:15 Protecting Rights in the Age of AI: A Treaty for Everyone
Mario Hernandez Ramos, Chair of the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction of the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and its role in advancing democratic standards in tech governance.
16:15 – 16.30 Steering Digital Innovation with Values – A Parliamentary Perspective
How parliaments are translating standards into action: oversight, legislation and fostering digital innovation aligned with democratic values.
Short input statements from key parliamentary bodies on their priorities, practices, or challenges in democratic digital governance:
- Zeynep Yıldız, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Türkiye
- Neema Lugangira, Chair, African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG), Tanzania
- Hon. Ray Abela, Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), Malta
- Other invited parliamentary bodies (tbc)
(European Parliament (EP), Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), OECD Global Parliamentary Network, Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie)
16:30 - 17:00 Parliamentary Roundtable: Making It Work in Practice
Moderated open exchange
- All present parliamentarians are invited to share insights, good practices, and challenges in shaping digital governance. Focus on peer exchange and identifying shared approaches and good practice.
Suggested topics to guide discussion:
- Making AI accountable: Parliamentary oversight and ethical frameworks
- Securing democratic participation - Digital resilience and inclusive online engagement
- Regulating without censoring: Rights-based approaches to content and data governance
- Aligning with international standards: Translating multilateral treaties, /conventions/standards into national laws
- Unlocking opportunity: Digital tools for innovation, accessibility and service delivery
17:00 - 17:10 Open Exchange with the Audience
17:10 - 17:15 What’s Next? Shared Priorities for Action
- Moderator wraps up with key takeaways, opportunities for cooperation and next steps for working together to build a democratic digital future.
Format
Moderated open exchange with in-put keynotes from parliamentarians.
Interpretation in English and French.
Further reading
Links to relevant websites, declarations, books, documents. Please note we cannot offer web space, so only links to external resources are possible. Example for an external link: Main page of EuroDIG
People
Focal Point:
Moderator:
- Ms / Mme Miapetra KUMPULA-NATRI (Finland, SOC / Finlande, SOC), Vice Chair of PACE
Ad hoc committee of the Bureau to participate in the meeting of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG)
- Ms / Mme Zeynep YILDIZ (Türkiye, NR / Türkiye, NI)
- Mr / M. Emanuelis ZINGERIS (Lithuania, EPP/CD / Lituanie, PPE/DC)
- Ms / Mme Belén HOYO (Spain, EPP/CD / Espagne, PPE/DC)
- Ms / Mme Marijana PULJAK (Croatia, ALDE / Croatie, ADLE)
- Ms / Mme Maria-Nefeli VASILEIOU CHATZIIOANNIDOU (Greece, EPP/CD / Grèce, PPE/DC)
Key participants:
- Mario Hernandez Ramos, Chair of the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence
- Zeynep Yıldız, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Türkiye
- Neema Lugangira, Chair, African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG), Tanzania
- Hon. Ray Abela, Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), Malta
Transcript
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