EU legislators fail to agree on delay to AI Act
Negotiations between EU institutions broke down over exemptions for industrial AI, leaving uncertainty ahead of upcoming rules.
European Union lawmakers have failed to reach an agreement on delaying parts of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, following overnight negotiations between the European Parliament and EU member states, reports Politico Europe.
The talks focused on a proposal to postpone rules for high-risk AI systems, currently set to apply from August 2026, until December 2027. The proposal also included measures related to specific AI applications, but discussions stalled before a compromise could be reached.
A central point of disagreement was whether certain sectors, such as manufacturing and medical devices, should follow existing sector-specific regulations instead of the AI Act. This position was supported by lawmakers from the European People’s Party and backed by Germany, which has advocated for less restrictive rules for industrial AI.
Other political groups and several EU countries opposed the proposal, raising concerns about regulatory gaps and legal uncertainty if exemptions were introduced.
As a result, negotiations were paused without a confirmed date for resumption. The lack of agreement leaves limited time to clarify the regulatory framework before the AI Act’s provisions begin to apply.
