TLDR : European companies, including Carrefour, BNP Paribas, Airbus, and TotalEnergies, requested a two-year pause on the AI Act, citing major operational challenges. The European Commission rejected this request, insisting on adhering to legally binding deadlines.
Last Thursday, around fifty European companies, members of the EU AI Champions Initiative, created last February on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit, sent an open letter to the European Commission, advocating for a two-year pause in the implementation of the AI Act. This appeal remained ineffective: the timeline for the deployment of European AI regulations is upheld.
Among the French signatories are several leading figures of the tech ecosystem: Arthur Mensch (Mistral AI), Thomas Clozel (Owkin), Philippe Corrot (Mirakl), as well as executives from Carrefour, BNP Paribas, Airbus, and TotalEnergies. They all warn of a risk of misalignment between regulatory ambitions and the operational capacity of companies to comply within constrained deadlines.
The first provisions of the AI Act, which came into force in August 2024, started to be applied last February. Two upcoming stages are causing the greatest concerns today: the obligations related to General Purpose AI models (GPAI), expected next month, and those concerning high-risk AI systems, scheduled for August 2026. However, the implementing texts remain partially pending: the Code of Good Practices for GPAI has not yet been published, while a public consultation is underway to clarify the classification criteria, responsibilities, and operational obligations associated with high-risk AI systems.
In this context, the signatories are requesting a temporary moratorium, arguing that a two-year delay would allow European players to better adapt to a still-evolving framework. They have developed concrete adaptation proposals and express their willingness to work in a coordinated manner with European institutions.
A Firm Rejection from the Commission
The response from Brussels is firm. While the Commission acknowledges the complexity of the regulatory project, it dismisses any idea of suspension. The timelines are described as legally binding, and their respect is presented as an imperative for legislative coherence.
According to Reuters, spokesperson Thomas Regner summarized the Commission's position during a press briefing:
"There is no stopping the clock. There is no grace period. There is no pause. [...] The provisions came into force in February, the general obligations for GPAI models will start in August, and those for high-risk models in August 2026".