The Spanish presidency of the EU Council is getting ready to complete the technical work on the AI Act, the landmark comprehensive legislation that seeks to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) development and use in the EU. The AI Act is part of the bloc's strategy on AI, which aims to make the EU a global standard in AI with a human-centric approach taking into account the opportunities and threats the technology brings. The goal is to regulate AI with a focus on risks, ensuring the protection of citizens' rights and long-term stability for companies and developers to promote innovation and investment.

Why does it matter?

The Resilient2030 document, the Spanish presidency's roadmap to empower open strategic autonomy and strengthen the EU's global leadership, emphasises AI's crucial role in making or breaking entire industrial sectors and its significant impact on citizens' physical and economic security. The AI Act is currently in its last stages of the legislative process, with members from the EU Commission, Council, and Parliament convening in 'trilogues'. The EU institutions still need to compromise on how to regulate the most powerful 'foundation' models, as Germany, France, and Italy reached an agreement that includes mandatory self-regulation. Days after, leading MEPs made a counter-proposal on the sensitive law enforcement chapter of the AI rulebook. As Madrid currently holds the rotating chair of the EU Council, it must conclude the technical preparation for the AI Act this week to request a new mandate before joining the next trilogue on 6 December. This may be the final opportunity to obtain a political agreement on the bill under the Spanish presidency.