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EU Artificial Intelligence Act - Original Commission Proposal (2021)

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European Union·eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021PC...

Credibility Rating

4/5
High(4)

High quality. Established institution or organization with editorial oversight and accountability.

Rating inherited from publication venue: European Union

This is the original 2021 European Commission proposal for the EU AI Act; the final regulation was adopted in 2024 and is considered a landmark in AI governance, directly relevant to deployment standards and safety requirements for AI systems in the EU market.

Metadata

Importance: 78/100legislationprimary source

Summary

The European Commission's 2021 legislative proposal establishing harmonized rules for artificial intelligence across the EU, introducing a risk-based regulatory framework. It classifies AI systems into prohibited, high-risk, and lower-risk categories, imposing requirements for transparency, human oversight, and conformity assessments on high-risk applications. This proposal initiated the legislative process that culminated in the world's first comprehensive AI regulation.

Key Points

  • •Introduces a tiered risk classification: prohibited AI practices, high-risk AI systems (requiring strict compliance), and limited/minimal risk systems
  • •High-risk AI applications (e.g., biometric identification, critical infrastructure, employment, law enforcement) face mandatory conformity assessments and human oversight requirements
  • •Prohibits AI systems using subliminal manipulation, exploiting vulnerabilities, and most real-time remote biometric identification in public spaces
  • •Establishes transparency obligations for AI systems interacting with humans (chatbots) and those generating synthetic content
  • •Creates national competent authorities and a European Artificial Intelligence Board for governance and enforcement coordination

Cited by 1 page

PageTypeQuality
AI Compounding Risks Analysis ModelAnalysis60.0

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 ​
 
 Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL LAYING DOWN HARMONISED RULES ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ACT) AND AMENDING CERTAIN UNION LEGISLATIVE ACTS

 Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL LAYING DOWN HARMONISED RULES ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ACT) AND AMENDING CERTAIN UNION LEGISLATIVE ACTS

 Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL LAYING DOWN HARMONISED RULES ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ACT) AND AMENDING CERTAIN UNION LEGISLATIVE ACTS

 COM/2021/206 final

 
 
 
 
 
 
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Resource ID: 3afc13e40d7102b1 | Stable ID: sid_RvejJt96F4