EU Fails to Delay AI Act High-Risk Deadlines

EU negotiators from member states and the European Parliament failed to reach an agreement after 12 hours of talks on Tuesday, leaving enforcement deadlines for high-risk artificial intelligence systems under the bloc's AI Act unchanged and set to begin on August 2.

The discussions, part of the final scheduled political trilogue before formal adoption of the European Commission's Digital Omnibus package, broke down over disagreements on exemptions for AI systems already covered by existing sectoral regulations, such as those for machinery, toys and medical devices. A Cypriot official, representing the current EU Council presidency, stated it had not been possible to reach a deal with Parliament. Negotiations are expected to resume in May under the same presidency, which ends June 30 when Ireland takes over.

Both the Council and Parliament had previously aligned on delaying high-risk obligations. The Council's March 13 negotiating mandate proposed new deadlines of December 2, 2027, for standalone high-risk AI systems and August 2, 2028, for those embedded in products. Parliament approved the same dates on March 26 by a vote of 569 to 45, with 23 abstentions. The delays aimed to...