Earlier this week, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) cast their votes in favor of the much-anticipated AI Act. With 523 votes in favor, 46 votes against, and 49 abstentions, the vote is a culmination of an effort that began in April 2021, when the EU Commission first published its proposal for the Act.

Here’s what lies ahead:

  • Language finalization: Before the Act can officially become law, it will undergo a review by lawyer-linguists. This step aims to identify and correct errors in the text and ensure that numeration and references (to both internal and external sources) are correct before the text’s publication in the Official Journal of the EU (“OJ”).
  • Council approval: The Act is next set to move to the Council of the EU for its formal, final endorsement, which is expected to take place in April.
  • Implementation and impact:  The AI Act will officially enter into force 20 days after its publication in the OJ. The Act’s provisions on prohibited AI practices will apply six months following the Act’s entry into force, while the provisions on general-purpose AI models will apply six months thereafter.  Other provisions will apply later, primarily two and three years after the Act enters into force.  

The adoption of the AI Act represents a key moment in the global discourse on how best to regulate AI technologies. It coincides with efforts in other jurisdictions to support the development of safe AI, including the Biden Administration’s Artificial Intelligence Executive Order and a battery of regulatory initiatives in China.

The formal adoption of the Act is not the end of the regulatory process. Member States will need to appoint national competent authorities to oversee its implementation in their jurisdictions, while the Commission must issue guidelines to help regulated actors interpret and apply a large number of provisions. Stay tuned for further updates as the AI Act progresses through its final stages.

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The Covington team continues to monitor developments on the AI Act, and we regularly advise the world’s top technology companies on their most challenging regulatory and compliance issues in the EU and other major markets. If you have questions about the AI Act, or other tech regulatory matters, we are happy to assist with any queries.

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Photo of Lisa Peets Lisa Peets

Lisa Peets leads the intellectual property and technology and media groups in the firm’s London office. Ms. Peets divides her time between London and Brussels, and her practice embraces legislative advocacy, trade and IP enforcement. In this context, she has worked closely with…

Lisa Peets leads the intellectual property and technology and media groups in the firm’s London office. Ms. Peets divides her time between London and Brussels, and her practice embraces legislative advocacy, trade and IP enforcement. In this context, she has worked closely with leading multinationals in a number of sectors, including many of the world’s best-known software and hardware companies.

On behalf of her clients, Ms. Peets has been actively engaged in a wide range of law reform efforts in Europe, on multilateral, regional and national levels. This includes advocacy on EU and national initiatives relating to e-commerce, copyright, patents, data protection, technology standards, compulsory licensing, IPR enforcement and emerging technologies. Ms. Peets also counsels clients on trade related matters, including EU export controls and sanctions rules and WTO compliance.

In the IP enforcement space, Ms. Peets coordinates a team of lawyers and Internet investigators who direct civil and criminal enforcement actions in countries throughout Europe and who conduct global notice and takedown programs to combat Internet piracy.

Ms. Peets is a member of the European Commission’s Expert Group on reform of the IP Enforcement Directive.

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Marianna Drake

Marianna Drake is a Trainee Solicitor who attended King’s College London.

Photo of Mark Young Mark Young

Mark Young advises clients on data protection, cybersecurity and other tech regulatory matters. He has particular expertise in product counselling, GDPR regulatory investigations, and legislative advocacy. Mr. Young leads on EU cybersecurity regulatory matters, and helps to oversee our internet enforcement team.

He…

Mark Young advises clients on data protection, cybersecurity and other tech regulatory matters. He has particular expertise in product counselling, GDPR regulatory investigations, and legislative advocacy. Mr. Young leads on EU cybersecurity regulatory matters, and helps to oversee our internet enforcement team.

He has been recognized in Chambers UK as “a trusted adviser – practical, results-oriented and an expert in the field.” Recent editions note that he is “deeply knowledgeable in the area of privacy and data protection,” “fast, thorough and responsive,” and has “great insight into the regulators.”

Mr. Young has over 15 years of experience advising global companies, particularly in the technology, health and pharmaceutical sectors, on all aspects of data protection and security. This includes providing practical guidance on analyzing and using personal data, transferring personal data across borders, and potential liability exposure. He specializes in advising in relation to new products and services, and providing strategic advice and advocacy on a range of EU law reform issues and references to the EU Court of Justice.

For cybersecurity matters, he counsels clients on practices to protect business-critical information and comply with national and sector-specific regulation, and on preparing for and responding to cyber-based attacks and internal threats to their networks and information. He has helped a range of organizations respond to cyber and data security incidents – including external data breaches and insider theft of trade secrets – through the stages of initial detection, containment, notification, recovery and remediation.

In the IP enforcement space, Mr. Young represents right owners in the sport, media, publishing, fashion and luxury goods industries, and helps coordinate a team of internet investigators that has nearly two decades of experience conducting global notice and takedown programs to combat internet piracy.

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