Shadow rapporteur and digital policy expert Svenja Hahn comments on today's preliminary agreement between the negotiators of the Internal Market and Home Affairs Committees on the parliamentary position on the European AI Act.
Hahn emphasizes the liberal successes for civil rights in the preliminary agreement:
"We call for a clear ban on biometric surveillance in public spaces. It is a strong signal for the trilogue with the member states that the Parliament will stand up for citizens’ rights. Facial recognition is used for mass surveillance in states like China, and it must be clear that this use of technology will have no place in a democracy."
On the EU as a tech hub, Hahn adds:
"The parliamentary position strengthens innovation, for example by allowing developers to experiment within regulatory sandboxes. General purpose AI and generative AI such as chat GPT shall not be banned or classified as high-risk per se. This will foster innovation. Focusing on quality standards for generative AI is the way forward."
MEP Hahn highlights the targeted character of the rules:
"The definition is based on the OECD definition and thus ensures that the EU remains internationally connectable. We focus on the application, not the AI technology as such, and propose clear rules to identify an application as high-risk and rules that will then apply."
Hahn sums up:
"Against conservative wishes for more surveillance and leftist fantasies of over-regulation, Parliament found a solid compromise that would regulate AI proportionately, protect citizens’ rights, as well as foster innovation and boost the economy. The preliminary parliamentary agreement sets the direction for the EU as a tech hub, an innovation-friendly climate and the protection of our civil rights."
Next steps are the vote in the joint meeting of the two lead committees on May 11 and the vote in plenary, most probably in June.