EU lawmakers are reportedly considering a delay in the enforcement of certain provisions of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act). While the AI Act formally entered into force on 1 August 2024, its obligations apply on a rolling basis. Requirements related to AI literacy and the prohibition of specific AI practices have been applicable since 2 February 2025. Additional obligations are scheduled to come into effect on 2 August 2025 (general-purpose AI (GPAI) model obligations), 2 August 2026 (transparency obligations and obligations on Annex III high-risk AI systems), and 2 August 2027 (obligations on Annex I high-risk AI systems). The timeline and certainty of regulatory enforcement of these future obligations now appears uncertain.Continue Reading European Commission hints at delaying the AI Act
European Commission Guidelines on the Definition of an “AI System”
In February 2025, the European Commission published two sets of guidelines to clarify key aspects of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (“AI Act”): Guidelines on the definition of an AI system and Guidelines on prohibited AI practices. These guidelines are intended to provide guidance on the set of AI Act obligations that started to apply on February 2, 2025 – which includes the definitions section of the AI Act, obligations relating to AI literacy, and prohibitions on certain AI practices.
This article summarizes the key takeaways from the Commission’s guidelines on the definition of AI systems (the “Guidelines”). Please see our blogs on the guidelines on prohibited AI practices here, and our blog on AI literacy requirements under the AI Act here.Continue Reading European Commission Guidelines on the Definition of an “AI System”
European Commission Guidelines on Prohibited AI Practices under the EU Artificial Intelligence Act
In February 2025, the European Commission published two sets of guidelines to clarify key aspects of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (“AI Act”): Guidelines on the definition of an AI system and Guidelines on prohibited AI practices. These guidelines are intended to provide guidance on the set of AI Act obligations that started to apply on February 2, 2025 – which includes the definitions section of the AI Act, obligations relating to AI literacy, and prohibitions on certain AI practices.
This article summarizes the key takeaways from the Commission’s guidelines on prohibited AI practices (“Guidelines”). Please see our blogs on the guidelines on the definition of AI systems here, and our blog on AI literacy requirements under the AI Act here.Continue Reading European Commission Guidelines on Prohibited AI Practices under the EU Artificial Intelligence Act
The Future of the AI Liability Directive
The European Commission first published a proposal for an AI Liability Directive (“AILD”) in September 2022 as part of a broader set of initiatives, including proposals for a new Product Liability Directive (“new PLD”) and the EU AI Act (see our blog posts here, here and here).
The AILD was intended to introduce uniform rules for certain aspects of non-contractual civil claims relating to AI, by introducing disclosure requirements and rebuttable presumptions.
However, unlike the new PLD and EU AI Act, which have both been adopted and have entered into force, the AILD has encountered stagnation and resistance during the legislative process.Continue Reading The Future of the AI Liability Directive
Introduction of the Revised Code of Conduct+ and the Digital Services Act
The Commission and the European Board for Digital Services have announced the integration of the revised voluntary Code of conduct on countering illegal hate speech online + (“Code of Conduct+”) into the framework of the Digital Services Act (“DSA”). Article 45 of the DSA states that, where significant systemic risks emerge under Article 34(1) (concerning the obligation on very large online platforms (“VLOPs”) and very large online search engines (“VLOSEs”) to identify, analyse, and assess systemic risks), and concern several VLOPs or VLOSEs, the Commission may invite VLOPs and VLOSEs to participate in the drawing up of codes of conduct, including commitments to take risk mitigation measures and to report on those measures and their outcomes. The Code of Conduct+ was adopted in this context. VLOPs and VLOSEs’ adherence to the Code of Conduct+ may be considered as a risk mitigation measure under Article 35 DSA, but participation in and implementation of the Code of Conduct+ “should not in itself presume compliance with [the DSA]” (Recital 104).
The Code of Conduct+—which builds on the Commission’s original Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech online, published in 2016—seeks to strengthen how Signatories address content defined by EU and national laws as illegal hate speech. Adhering to the Code of Conduct+’s commitments will be part of the annual independent audit of VLOPs and VLOSEs required by the DSA (Art. 37(1)(b)), but smaller companies are free to sign up to the Code as well.Continue Reading Introduction of the Revised Code of Conduct+ and the Digital Services Act
European Commission Calls on Industry to Commit to the AI Pact in the Run-Up to the European Elections
Although the final text of the EU AI Act should enter into force in the next few months, many of its obligations will only start to apply two or more years after that (for further details, see our earlier blog here). To address this gap, the Commission is encouraging industry to take early, voluntary steps to implement the Act’s requirements through an initiative it is calling the AI Pact. With the upcoming European elections on the horizon, the Commission on 6 May 2024 published additional details on the AI Pact and encouraged organizations to implement measures addressing “critical aspects of the imminent AI Act, with the aim of curbing potential misuse” and contributing “to a safe use of AI in the run-up to the election.”Continue Reading European Commission Calls on Industry to Commit to the AI Pact in the Run-Up to the European Elections
EU Parliament Adopts AI Act
Earlier this week, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) cast their votes in favor of the much-anticipated AI Act. With 523 votes in favor, 46 votes against, and 49 abstentions, the vote is a culmination of an effort that began in April 2021, when the EU Commission first published its proposal for the Act.
Here’s what lies ahead:Continue Reading EU Parliament Adopts AI Act
EU AI Act: Key Takeaways from the Compromise Text
On February 13, 2024, the European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection and its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (the “Parliament Committees”) voted overwhelmingly to adopt the EU’s proposed AI Act. This follows a vote to approve the text earlier this month by the Council of Ministers’ Permanent Representatives Committee (“Coreper“). This brings the Act closer to final; the last step in the legislative process is a vote by the full European Parliament, currently scheduled to take place in April 2024.
The compromise text approved by Coreper and the Parliament Committees includes a number of significant changes as compared to earlier drafts. In this blog post, we set out some key takeaways.Continue Reading EU AI Act: Key Takeaways from the Compromise Text
European Commission Announces New Package of AI Measures
On January 24, 2024, the European Commission (“Commission”) announced that, following the political agreement reached in December 2023 on the EU AI Act (“AI Act”) (see our previous blog here), the Commission intends to proceed with a package of measures (“AI Innovation Strategy”) to support AI startups and small and medium-size enterprises (“SMEs”) in the EU.
Alongside these measures, the Commission also announced the creation of the European AI Office (“AI Office”), which is due to begin formal operations on February 21, 2024.
This blog post provides a high-level summary of these two announcements, in addition to some takeaways to bear in mind as we draw closer to the adoption of the AI Act.Continue Reading European Commission Announces New Package of AI Measures
Draft Delegated and Implementing Acts Pursuant to the Digital Services Act
From February 17, 2024, the Digital Services Act (“DSA”) will apply to providers of intermediary services (e.g., cloud services, file-sharing services, search engines, social networks and online marketplaces). These entities will be required to comply with a number of obligations, including implementing notice-and-action mechanisms, complying with detailed rules on terms and conditions, and publishing transparency reports on content moderation practices, among others. For more information on the DSA, see our previous blog posts here and here.
As part of its powers conferred under the DSA, the European Commission is empowered to adopt delegated and implementing acts* on certain aspects of implementation and enforcement of the DSA. In 2023, the Commission adopted one delegated act on supervisory fees to be paid by very large online platforms and very large online search engines (“VLOPs” and “VLOSEs” respectively), and one implementing act on procedural matters relating to the Commission’s enforcement powers. The Commission has proposed several other delegated and implementing acts, which we set out below. The consultation period for these draft acts have now passed, and we anticipate that they will be adopted in the coming months.Continue Reading Draft Delegated and Implementing Acts Pursuant to the Digital Services Act