The European Commission has issued a formal opinion confirming that the General-Purpose AI (GPAI) Code of Practice is an adequate voluntary tool for helping providers of GPAI models demonstrate compliance with the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), according to a policy announcement released August 1.
The Code, developed through a multi-stakeholder process involving industry leaders, civil society, academia, and Member State representatives, outlines commitments in areas such as transparency, copyright compliance, and systemic risk mitigation. It includes separate requirements for providers of general-purpose models and those whose models are deemed to pose systemic risks.
The Commission’s assessment—conducted in coordination with the European AI Office and the AI Board—finds that the Code sufficiently addresses the obligations outlined in Articles 53 and 55 of the AI Act, which set rules for documentation, copyright observance, risk identification, safety measures, and serious incident reporting.
While adherence to the Code is voluntary, it is expected to play a key role in the broader enforcement ecosystem of the AI Act. The Commission emphasized that the Code offers a practical framework to demonstrate regulatory compliance, particularly for documenting model capabilities, managing copyright obligations under EU law, and implementing cybersecurity and governance safeguards for high-risk AI models.
The opinion notes that although the Code does not include formal key performance indicators, it provides actionable commitments and reporting mechanisms, especially for providers of systemic-risk models. The Commission also encouraged future iterations to explore performance metrics and expand reporting obligations over time.
The Code will be monitored and reviewed at regular intervals by the AI Office, and may be updated in response to emerging risks, technological developments, or incidents involving general-purpose AI models.
The Commission’s opinion reinforces the EU’s strategy to operationalize the AI Act through flexible, cooperative mechanisms, balancing innovation with risk-based oversight.
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