EU clears delay for high-risk workplace AI rules

The Council of the EU gave its final green light to the AI Act simplification package on 29 June, following the European Parliament’s formal endorsement on 16 June 2026. The legislative act is expected to be published shortly in the EU’s official journal and will enter into force on the third day after publication.

The package follows the European Commission’s Digital Omnibus proposal, published on 19 November 2025, which seeks to defer high-risk AI obligations under the AI Act. A provisional agreement reached in May included postponing the compliance deadline for high-risk systems from 2 August 2026 to 2 December 2027.

The AI Act classifies employment-related AI systems as high-risk when they are used for recruitment, candidate selection, performance evaluation, task allocation, worker monitoring, promotion, or termination decisions. The proposal was driven by delays in implementation, including the designation of national competent authorities and the finalisation of harmonised standards and compliance tools.