AI Rules Postponement Backed by MEPs

In a significant legislative development, the European Parliament’s committees on the Internal Market and Civil Liberties have jointly approved amendments to the Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA), reflecting a broader move to simplify AI regulations within the EU. The committees voted overwhelmingly in favor of delaying the enforcement of specific provisions aimed at high-risk AI systems, with 101 votes supporting the motion, 9 against, and 8 abstentions.

The proposed changes, endorsed on March 18, 2026, aim to postpone the activation of certain rules until after the initially set deadlines, citing the unavailability of finalized standards. Key dates have now been established: December 2, 2027, for high-risk AI systems including biometric technologies and those used in critical sectors such as law enforcement and education, and August 2, 2028, for AI systems covered under existing EU sector-specific legislation.

Additionally, the amendments propose granting providers additional time to implement watermarking on AI-generated content to trace its origins, extending the compliance date to November 2, 2026. This move is part of a broader strategy to foster AI uptake by EU companies by introducing more flexibility in the regulatory framework and reducing overlaps with other EU laws.

A new ban on so-called “nudifier” systems, which use AI to create or alter sexually explicit images without consent, is also part of the legislative package. The prohibition, however, exempts AI systems that incorporate effective safety measures to prevent such misuse. The amendments also include provisions to support small to mid-cap enterprises (SMCs) by allowing them to process personal data to detect and correct biases in AI systems, with strict safeguards to ensure data privacy.

The European Parliament is set to confirm this mandate in a plenary session scheduled for March 26, which will pave the way for negotiations with the Council. This legislation is part of the seventh omnibus package on simplification proposed by the European Commission, which also includes amendments related to data use and the establishment of European business wallets.