The EU agrees to simplify AI regulations to boost innovation and ban ‘nude’ apps to protect citizens

The European Commission welcomes the political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU onsimpler, innovation-friendly rules for artificial intelligence(AI).

The Commission proposed theDigital Omnibus Act on AIjust five months ago, as part of the EU’s simplification agenda to boost European competitiveness. This will make it easierfor EU businessesto apply theAI Act, whilst maintaining its benefits for European society, security and fundamental rights.

The agreement reached sets outaclear timetablefor the implementation of the rules governing high-risk AI systems. The rules for systems used in certain high-risk areas — such as biometrics, critical infrastructure, education, employment, migration, asylum and border control — will enter into force on 2 December 2027. For systems embedded in products such as lifts or toys, the rules will apply from 2 August 2028. This sequence will help ensure that technical standards and other supporting tools are in place before the rules come into force.

The agreement alsostrengthens the protection of citizens. It prohibits AI systems that generate non-consensual sexually explicit and intimate content or child sexual abuse material, such as AI applications for ‘nudity’.

For businesses,the agreement introducessimpler rules and clearer governance. Certain privileges for small and medium-sized enterprises are extended to mid-cap companies. The interaction between the AI Act and European product safety legislation, in particular the Machinery Regulation, has also been clarified, avoiding duplication between sector-specific rules and AI rules. Furthermore, more innovators will have access to regulatory testing environments, including one at EU level, to test their AI solutions under real-world conditions. The supervisory powers of the Commission’s AI Office will be strengthened to oversee certain AI systems, including those based on general-purpose models and those integrated into large online platforms and search engines. 

This agreement will providesafer and simpler rulesfor both citizens and businesses. The Digital Omnibus on AI also complements existing support initiatives, such as theAI Act helpdeskand the forthcoming guidelines on the classification of high-risk systems and transparency obligations.

Next steps

The European Parliament and the Council must now formally approve the political agreement. Once approved, the amendments will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will enter into force three days later.

Background

TheDigital Omnibus on AI wasproposedon 19 November 2025 with the aim of simplifying the AI Act whilst maintaining its level of protection. It was published alongside another Digital Omnibus simplifying the rules on cybersecurity and data, complemented by aData Union Strategyto facilitate access to high-quality data for AI and the European Enterprise Portfolios. This package represents the seventh omnibus proposal as part of the Commission’s efforts tosimplify EU rules, making it easier, cheaper and more efficient to do business in the EU.

More information: European Commission.