Council of the European Union Approves EU AI Act

Marking a final step in the legislative process, the Council of the European Union today approved the EU AI Act. In March, the European Parliament endorsed the AI Act. The Act will next be published in the Official Journal in the coming days. The law begins to go into force across the EU 20 days afterward.

Matthieu Michel, Belgian Secretary of Digitalization, said "With the AI act, Europe emphasizes the importance of trust, transparency and accountability when dealing with new technologies"

Before a high-risk AI system is deployed for public services, a fundamental rights impact assessment will be required. The regulation also provides for increased transparency regarding the development and use of high-risk AI systems. High-risk AI systems will need to be registered in the EU database for high-risk AI, and users of an emotion recognition system will have to inform people when they are being exposed to such a system.

The new law categorises different types of artificial intelligence according to risk. AI systems presenting only limited risk would be subject to very light transparency obligations, while high-risk AI systems would be authorised, but subject to a set of requirements and obligations to gain access to the EU market. AI systems such as, for example, cognitive behavioural manipulation and social scoring will be banned from the EU because their risk is deemed unacceptable. The law also prohibits the use of AI for predictive policing based on profiling and systems that use biometric data to categorise people according to specific categories such as race, religion, or sexual orientation.

To ensure proper enforcement, the Act establishes:
➡ An AI Office within the Commission to enforce the rules across the EU
➡ A scientific panel of independent experts to support enforcement
➡ An AI Board to promote consistent and effective application of the AI Act
➡ An advisory forum to provide expertise to the AI Board and the Commission

The announcement from the Council occurs the same week that the Center for AI and Digital Policy Europe launches in Brussels at Computers, Privacy and Data Protection Conference.

Karine Caunes, Director of CAIDP Europe, said, "The EU AI Act is a historic achievement. Now we must ensure it fulfills its purpose. CAIDP Europe looks forward to working with friends and colleagues across the NGO and academic communities to promote implementation and enforcement of the law. We must emphasize the protection of fundamental rights to ensure trustworthy AI."