The European Union has called for a shared international commitment to safe, trustworthy, and human-centric artificial intelligence governance, in a statement delivered at the first-ever United Nations Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva on 6-7 July 2026. Speaking on behalf of the EU and its member states, Roberto Viola, Director-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology at the European Commission, urged participants to base AI policy on independent scientific evidence and to ensure that technology serves all of humanity, leaving no one behind.
The statement, published by the European External Action Service on 7 July 2026, marks the EU's first major multilateral intervention on AI governance since the adoption of its AI Act. Viola emphasised that the EU's approach is risk-based, intervening only where risks are high or unacceptable, and grounded in international human rights law. He stressed that trust is essential for AI adoption and that the industry itself demands safeguards. The EU also highlighted the importance of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, whose preliminary findings informed the Dialogue, arguing that political debate on AI is outpacing empirical evidence and that rigorous, peer-reviewed data must underpin policy decisions.
Viola outlined both the transformative opportunities and the considerable societal risks of frontier AI. On the positive side, he noted advances in biotechnology, such as protein design and drug repurposing, and the potential for AI to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. The EU is investing in AI infrastructure through its network of supercomputers, AI Factories and Gigafactories, and the recent Cloud and AI Development Act, which aims to build a sovereign AI ecosystem with energy-efficient data centres. However, he also warned of risks to children's safety and development, the weaponisation of AI to probe critical infrastructure, the environmental footprint of AI computing, and the threat to cultural creators and journalists whose work is used without adequate remuneration.
The EU's statement comes as the bloc seeks to position itself as a global standard-setter in AI governance, building on its domestic legislation and engaging in bilateral and multilateral fora. The Dialogue is seen as a chance to clarify shared concerns, scale up concrete solutions, and establish structured international cooperation. Viola acknowledged that the EU does not have all the answers, underscoring the need for evidence, multistakeholder dialogue, and multilateralism to navigate the fast-evolving AI landscape.