Community news|15/12/22

Council of the EU calls for safe AI that respects EU fundamental rights

Home > The news of EUROGIP and occupational risks in Europe > Council of the EU calls for safe AI that respects EU fundamental rights

The Council of the EU adopted on 6 December its common position on the Commission’s proposal for a Regulation on artificial intelligence in April 2021. It is the first stage to complete the co-decision legislative process. The European Parliament is expected to finalise its version in March 2023.

“The Czech [EU] Presidency’s final compromise text takes into account the main concerns of the member states and preserves the delicate balance between protecting fundamental rights and promoting the adoption of AI technology”, said Ivan Bartoš, Czech deputy prime minister for digital affairs.

Requirements set out in sectoral legislation where such AI systems are intended to be used should complement the European Commission’s text. The draft defines different types of AI systems. It specifies which ones are banned from the European market, which ones are to be considered as high-risk requiring special assessment procedures and finally which ones present little or no risk to health, safety or fundamental rights. The project also foresees the inclusion of regulatory sandboxes. These are controlled environments under the supervision of an authority in which companies can test AI solutions. The aim is to help Member States put in place rules that are conducive to the development of the industry.

The Czech Presidency of the EU Council has proposed a narrower definition of AI, a revised and shortened list of high-risk systems, a stronger role for the AI Council and a reformulated national security exemption.

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