A coalition of 52 civil society organisations and academics has urged the European Commission not to revisit or delay the implementation of the EU AI Act. They warn that such actions—or the lack thereof—could undermine rights, public trust, and Europe’s digital leadership.
In an open letter addressed to Executive Vice-Presidents Henna Virkkunen and Stéphane Séjourné, as well as Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, the signatories express “collective concerns” about the forthcoming Digital Simplification Package. The legislation seeks to streamline the EU’s digital rulebook, which could include revisiting the Artificial Intelligence Act. The letter, scheduled for publication on Wednesday morning, follows rumours that the Commission might consider a “stop-the-clock” mechanism to delay the AI Act’s enforcement amid implementation challenges.
“We firmly oppose any attempt to delay or reopen the AI Act, particularly in light of the growing trend of deregulation,” the letter states. “Efforts to simplify should build on hard-won legal protections, not dismantle them.”
Industry delays, no advisory forum
Organisations such as BEUC, European Digital Rights (EDRi), Centre for Democracy and Technology Europe (CDT Europe), and ECNL argue that industry-led delays in the standardisation process, as well as criticisms of the GPAI Code of Practice, now serve as a pretext to justify suspending the legislation.
Speaking on behalf of the civic groups, Laura Lazaro Cabrera, Counsel and Director of the Equity and Data Programme at CDT Europe, said: “The AI Act is a landmark for Europe’s digital future. It shows that technological progress must respect rights and protect people. There’s no proof that its obligations place unfair burdens on businesses. Simplification should mean clarity, not deregulation. Weakening this law would erode public confidence at the very moment AI’s real-world harms are becoming clear.”
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Simplification should mean clarity, not deregulation. Weakening this law would erode public confidence at the very moment AI’s real-world harms are becoming clear. – Laura Lazaro Cabrera, Counsel and Director of the Equity and Data Programme at CDT Europe
Echoing this view, Blue Duangdjai Tiyavorabun, Policy Advisor at EDRi, added: “The AI Act is a hard-won piece of legislation that took years to negotiate, and it is dangerous to roll back key legal protections. There is no innovation without people’s rights at the centre!”
Credibility at stake
From the consumer perspective, Cláudio Teixeira, Senior Legal Officer at BEUC, warned: “Re-opening hard-fought compromises now could undermine democratic processes, legal certainty, erode public trust, endanger consumers’ fundamental rights and risk aligning the EU with a wider push for digital deregulation that runs counter to consumer and industry interests. At stake is nothing less than the EU’s credibility in shaping innovation while protecting people in the digital age.”
Re-opening hard-fought compromises now could undermine democratic processes, legal certainty, erode public trust, endanger consumers’ fundamental rights and risk aligning the EU with a wider push for digital deregulation – Cláudio Teixeira, Senior Legal Officer at BEUC
The letter also calls attention to procedural issues in the AI Act’s rollout, notably the failure to establish the Advisory Forum, a civil society governance body required under Article 67 of the law. More than 30 organisations submitted recommendations for its design last year, but the AI Office has yet to acknowledge them.
“The EU has strived to create an environment which places fundamental rights, regulatory certainty and consumer trust at the center,” the signatories write. “Using the Digital Simplification package to revisit key safeguards […] would call into question Europe’s real competitive advantage: putting consumer and fundamental rights at the centre of all legislation.”
Commission denies Stop the clock
In response to public concerns, European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier insisted last week: “There is no stop the clock. There is no grace period. There is no pause.”
“There is no stop the clock. There is no grace period. There is no pause.” – Thomas Regnier, European Commission spokesperson
However, civil society groups remain sceptical of these assurances, pointing to the earlier “omnibus” legislative proposal that diluted EU corporate sustainability laws, an effort both hailed and criticised for weakening environmental protections, while raising concerns about procedural transparency. This precedent fuels fears—and raises hopes—that similar deregulation efforts could affect the AI Act.
Adding to the uncertainty, the letter highlights the controversial withdrawal of the AI Liability Directive earlier this year. It also reflects ongoing concerns regarding the governance and enforcement structures of the Union’s AI legislation.
