Last week in Rome, I-Com launched its latest initiative – ‘Cantiere Europa’.

The mission of the project is to create a hub for policymakers, business leaders, experts and associations to discuss a strategic vision for the new legislative term (2024-2029). The project will unfold in both Rome and Brussels.

This week on September 17, I-Com hosted the inaugural Brussels Foresight Talk, titled EU AI Act: Balancing Technological Progress with Strong Governance for EU Competitiveness. I-Com President, Stefano da Empoli, presented a comprehensive document prepared by I-Com researchers providing an overview of the level of investments in AI and the uptake of AI technologies in EU member states.

The discussion saw the contribution of two notable guest speakers – Alberto La Bella, First Counsellor on Transport and Telecommunications at Italy’s Permanent Representation to the EU, who delivered the opening institutional remarks, and Kilian Gross, Head of Unit for AI Regulation and Compliance at DG CONNECT at the European Commission.

The conversation delved into the responsibilities and structure of the AI Office, examining how to strike the right balance between advancing technology and maintaining strong governance to enhance the EU’s competitiveness on the global stage.

While most of the provisions of the AI Act will enter into force on 2 August 2026, the urgency and importance of certain provisions have led to their implementation being accelerated. This is the case for the first code of conduct for general-purpose AI models,  the deadline for the AI Office being 2 May 2025. Participants touched upon this and other related topics such as: How to assess the voluntary commitments contained in the draft AI Pact; Are there aspects that need further clarification or radical changes; What are the main challenges ahead for the drafting of the Code of Conduct?

During the Q&A sessions participants raised questions on the competitiveness gap between the EU, China and the US as well as national and cross-border sandboxes to scale up innovative start-ups and the AI technology certification system across EU.