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In today's Morning Brief:

New rules for trustworthy Artificial Intelligence

The Commission has proposed yesterday a new set of rules and actions to encourage excellence and trust in AI. The new AI regulation will make sure that Europeans can trust what AI has to offer, and will include proportionate and flexible rules that address specific risks posed by AI systems. The risks are listed as follows.

Unacceptable risk (banned AI systems): AI systems considered a clear threat to the safety, livelihoods and rights of people, such as AI systems or applications that manipulate human behaviour to circumvent users’ free will and systems that allow ‘social scoring’ by governments.

High-risk systems: AI systems used for critical infrastructures (e.g. transport); educational or vocational training, that may determine the access to education and professional course of someone’s life (e.g. scoring of exams); safety components of products (e.g. AI application in robot-assisted surgery); Employment, workers management and access to self-employment (e.g. CV-sorting software for recruitment procedures); essential private and public services (e.g. credit scoring denying citizens opportunity to obtain a loan); law enforcement that may interfere with people’s fundamental rights (e.g. evaluation of the reliability of evidence); migration, asylum and border control management (e.g. verification of authenticity of travel documents); administration of justice and democratic processes (e.g. applying the law to a concrete set of facts).

The high-risk systems will have to undergo thorough risk assessment and adhere to strict obligations before going to market. Further information on the measures can be found here, and a Q&A on the new rules can be found here.

 

Sustainable Finance Taxonomy

As anticipated by a leak earlier this week, the Commission has yesterday adopted an ambitious and comprehensive package of measures to help improve the flow of money towards sustainable activities across the European Union. The package includes the EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act, which introduces the first set of technical screening criteria to define which activities contribute substantially to two of the environmental objectives under the Taxonomy Regulation, that is climate change adaptation and climate change mitigation. Here you will find the full text of the EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act, and here a series of Q&A about the Act. Once formally adopted, the EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act will be scrutinised by the European Parliament and the Council (four months and extendable once by two additional months).

 

More details on the new provisional agreement on the European Climate law

As reported in yesterday’s Morning Brief, the EU negotiators have struck a deal on the European Climate Law. We have now further details of the deal, which includes, in addition to the 2050 climate neutrality target, the following elements:

  • an ambitious 2030 climate target of at least 55% reduction of net emissions as compared to 1990, with clarity on the contribution of emission reductions and removals;
  • recognition of the need to enhance the EU’s carbon sink through a more ambitious LULUCF regulation, for which the Commission will make proposals in June 2021;
  • a process for setting a 2040 climate target, taking into account an indicative greenhouse gas budget for 2030-2050 to be published by the Commission;
  • a commitment to negative emissions after 2050;
  • the establishment of European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change, that will provide independent scientific advice;
  • stronger provisions on adaptation to climate change;
  • strong coherence across Union policies with the climate neutrality objective;
  • a commitment to engage with sectors to prepare sector-specific roadmaps charting the path to climate neutrality in different areas of the economy.

For more information, see the EC page of the European Climate Law here.

More Articles

15/09/2023 – EARTO priorities for the next framework programme, UK-EU collaboration, key points for R&I from the State of the Union & much more

In today’s Morning Brief:
Horizon Europe
Last chance to become a Regional Innovation Valley – matchmaking map available
EARTO inputs to the European Research Area and Innovation Committee
Challenges ahead as other nations seek access to EU’s Horizon R&D programme
Uncertainty over working with the UK remains despite Horizon Europe deal
European Parliament clears path for Iliana Ivanova’s Commissioner appointment
EIB provides €15 million loan to crowd farming for sustainable agriculture innovation
Two new European Partnership calls open: Aquatic Ecosystem Services and Nature-Based Solutions Research
Research & Innovation
Ursula von der Leyen proposes global AI panel and fast-tracks access to supercomputers
EU Aims for stronger Research and Innovation partnerships with Africa
European Commission has opened a call for Experts on Economic and Societal Impact of R&I sought
Portugal sets up €8M defence research programme
EU Prioritizes Science Communication to Address Societal Challenges
News from INESC
Discover the influence of AI Chat GPT in healthcare: a deep dive into ethical concerns and the future.
INESC TEC has announced an international conference dedicated to management of technology
INESC MN has opened a Call for Expression of Interest for a Researcher Position in the are of Lab on a Chip and Microfluidic Systems
Job Opportunities
Events & Training workshops

Read More »

08/09/2023 – UK joins Horizon Europe and Copernicus, Ivanova´s first hearing on Horizon Europe, supercomputer Deucalion inaugurated in Portugal, new podcasts & much more

In today’s Morning Brief:
Horizon Europe
UK and European Commission reach consensus for British participation in Horizon Europe and Copernicus
Commissioner-Designate Iliana Ivanova’s hearing highlights
Seventh EU-Backed Supercomputer, Deucalion, inaugurated in Portugal
ERC announced 400 Starting Grants for EU Researchers
EIT InnoEnergy secures €140 million in private investment to boost impact
Research & Innovation
Regional Innovation Valley – Matchmaking map now available
Opinion article in Science Business by Ramon Wyss: Will AI help big tech dominate science?
MEPs Advocate for Small-Scale Nuclear Power Stations in the Fight Against Carbon Emissions
Artificial Intelligence raises concerns of pandemic risk, scientists urge caution
Temporary leadership change in European Commission’s Research and Innovation Portfolio
News from INESC
José Carlos Caldeira on Magellan Circle Podcast
First episode of the “Ciência e Sociedade” Podcast is out
INESC MN has opened a Call for Expression of Interest for a Researcher Position in the are of Lab on a Chip and Microfluidic Systems
Job Opportunities
Events & Training workshops

Read More »

01/09/2023 – European Commission´s new AI unit, upcoming challenges for European R&I policy, the new Green Deal leader statements, the role of universities of applied sciences & much more

In today’s Morning Brief:
Horizon Europe
Commission’s research directorate to develop a new artificial intelligence in science policy
Back to school: what’s on the European research and innovation policy agenda this autumn
Ivanova gets ready to lock horns with MEPs
EU won’t ‘dilute’ ambition, says new climate chief
Universities of applied sciences are shaping up to boost EU research outputs
Romania to launch new funding programme aimed at luring back researchers from abroad
EIT Manufacturing announces partnership with regional business promotion agency in Austria
Research & Innovation
EU Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act explained
Research Data Alliance fosters cross-disciplinary, global data sharing
Latvia to overhaul PhDs and academic careers
To tackle wildfires, researchers in Europe team up with frontline forces
Clothing manufacturers aim to get fashionable with greener practices
The top 18 centres of trustworthy artificial intelligence research
Six online courses to boost your skills and knowledge
News from INESC
Improving the performance of databases: INESC TEC research presented at international conference
Job Opportunities
Events & Training workshops

Read More »