About a-team Marketing Services
The knowledge platform for the financial technology industry
The knowledge platform for the financial technology industry

A-Team Insight Blogs

EU Parliament Approves Landmark Artificial Intelligence Act

Subscribe to our newsletter

The EU Parliament has approved the Artificial Intelligence Act, marking the world’s first regulation of AI. The regulation establishes obligations for AI based on its potential risks and level of impact and is designed to ensure safety and compliance with fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law and environmental sustainability, while boosting innovation.

The act needs to be formally endorsed by the European Council and will come into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal. It will be applicable 24 months later except for  bans on prohibited practices, which will apply six months after the regulation comes into force; codes of practice that will come in after nine months; general-purpose AI rules including governance that will come in after a year; and obligations for high-risk systems that will follow in three years.

The regulation covers all types of AI including generative AI and is, no doubt, being scrutinised by capital markets participants as they continue to extend their use of the technology – more on this coming soon.

The act sets out key measures including:

  • Safeguards on general purpose artificial intelligence
  • Limits on the use of biometric identification systems by law enforcement
  • Bans on social scoring and AI used to manipulate or exploit user vulnerabilities
  • Right of consumers to launch complaints and receive meaningful explanations

It also covers high-risk AI systems that are not specifically identified but are likely to include those used in capital markets. These systems must assess and reduce risks, maintain use logs, be transparent and accurate, and ensure human oversight. Citizens will have a right to submit complaints about AI systems and receive explanations about decisions based on high-risk AI systems that affect their rights.

To encourage innovation across the board, regulatory sandboxes and real-world testing will have to be established at the national level and made accessible to SMEs and start-ups to develop and train innovative AI before it goes to market.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Related content

WEBINAR

Recorded Webinar: Best practice approaches to data management for regulatory reporting

Effective regulatory reporting requires firms to manage vast amounts of data across multiple systems, regions, and regulatory jurisdictions. With increasing scrutiny from regulators and the rising complexity of financial instruments, the need for a streamlined and strategic approach to data management has never been greater. Financial institutions must ensure accuracy, consistency, and timeliness in their...

BLOG

Regulations in the Balance as Institutions Remain Sustainability-Focussed: ESG Summit London Review

Despite a perception that ESG is in retreat around the world, financial institutions continue to take the issue very seriously as a matter of risk management, a trend that continues to exert an influence on the data demands of organisations. It isn’t even the compliance imperatives of organisations operating in heavily regulated parts of the...

EVENT

Buy AND Build: The Future of Capital Markets Technology

Buy AND Build: The Future of Capital Markets Technology London examines the latest changes and innovations in trading technology and explores how technology is being deployed to create an edge in sell side and buy side capital markets financial institutions.

GUIDE

AI in Capital Markets: Practical Insight for a Transforming Industry – Free Handbook

AI is no longer on the horizon – it’s embedded in the infrastructure of modern capital markets. But separating real impact from inflated promises requires a grounded, practical understanding. The AI in Capital Markets Handbook 2025 provides exactly that. Designed for data-driven professionals across the trade life-cycle, compliance, infrastructure, and strategy, this handbook goes beyond...