Final EU AI Act Text Gets Crucial Nod from EU Countries, Set for Final Adoption in April
Summary
The EU AI Act has taken two steps closer to entering into force. On February 2, 2024, the EU’s Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) unanimously approved a political agreement reached on the final contentious issues in the EU AI Act last December. Eleven days later, on February 13, 2024, the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Civil Liberties Committees then overwhelmingly approved the draft. A final plenary vote is set for April 10, where at this stage it seems unlikely that major changes will be introduced. This will conclude the adoption procedures, with the Act entering into force 20 days after publication in the official journal, so likely late spring/early summer. The obligations under the Act will then become enforceable gradually, with the ban on prohibited use of AI systems kicking in first, six months after the adoption of the Act. The February 2, 2024 vote stands as a critical mark of approval after Germany, France and Italy expressed reservations about the December political agreement. However, after failing to secure meaningful concessions, all three countries dropped their opposition and threw their support behind the Act in the February 2 vote.
