The 50th session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg adopted the report on artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe at the beginning of April 2026. This report was prepared on behalf of the Council of Europe by Renate Meyer and Tobias Polzer from WU Vienna alongside colleagues from ZHAW School of Management and Law and the University of Potsdam.

The increasing use of AI is profoundly changing the way in which municipalities and regions deliver services, engage with citizens and manage infrastructure. While innovations often improve efficiency, responsiveness, and transparency they also come with complex challenges, related to privacy and human rights protection. Many elected officials and staff of local and regional authorities still lack the skills and resources to work with AI tools.

In the session it was emphasised that AI-based services should consider the needs and behaviours of end users: clear communication, accessible interfaces and specific in-person support should be ensured. Meaningful human oversight should be ensured wherever AI systems are used for automated decisions that impact individuals (for example regarding social benefits or housing allocation). Smaller municipalities could work together to benefit from economies of scale in procurement and deployment of AI tools. It was also highlighted that local and regional authorities should establish human-centred and human-rights compliant AI-governance structures in line with the Council of Europe Framework Convention on artificial intelligence, and to adequately train elected representatives and administrative staff in its use.

The report provides a foundation for smart regulation and received unanimous approval. It can be retrieved [here].