AI regulation: Germany, France and Italy reach an agreement

On November 18, 2023, Germany, France and Italy reached an important agreement on the future of AI regulation, a step forward in shaping the regulatory landscape of AI in the European Union (EU).

Among the most prominent issues in this agreement, mention should be made of the support of the three governments for “mandatory self-regulation through codes of conduct” for so-called foundational AI models, designed to produce a wide range of results.

On the other hand, it should also be noted that immediate sanctions are not part of the position of the three nations. However, the possibility of a future system of sanctions is contemplated if violations of the codes of conduct arise, for which purpose a European authority must be able to monitor compliance with the rules.

Finally, the three governments have proposed mandatory self-regulation for all companies providing AI, regardless of their size. Although the debate in the context of the EU AI Act initially focused only on large AI providers, the current joint agreement now advocates universal adherence to avoid compromising trust in the security of smaller EU companies.