The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group has supported today’s adoption of the European Parliament’s position on the AI Omnibus in the joint vote of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), while warning that the current compromise still falls short of what Europe needs to remain competitive in the global AI race.

The AI Omnibus forms part of the European Commission’s digital simplification package and aims to clarify the implementation of the Artificial Intelligence Act. While the ECR Group welcomes efforts to improve legal certainty and make the framework more workable, it stresses that the current text does not yet match the scale of the challenge facing European innovators and businesses.

ECR MEPs supported the compromise as a step in the right direction, but underline that further improvements will be necessary in plenary to ensure that Europe’s AI framework supports innovation, investment and technological leadership.

Piotr Müller, ECR IMCO Shadow Rapporteur, said:

“Today’s vote is a step forward, but only a partial one. We supported this file because Europe cannot afford further delays, yet the reality is that the current compromise does not go far enough to strengthen our competitiveness.

“If we are serious about Europe’s place in the global AI race, we must go further: remove obligations that cannot be implemented in practice, provide realistic timelines, and create genuine space for research and business use of AI.

“We cannot build Europe’s AI future in a system that prioritises control over creativity. What we need now is a clear cultural shift towards innovation, and we will continue to push for that in plenary.

Müller also expressed regret over the rejection of an ECR amendment aimed at strengthening transparency in the Commission’s exchanges with major AI providers.

“It is disappointing that a basic transparency safeguard was rejected today. Asking the Commission to keep clear records of its exchanges with major AI providers should not be controversial.

“Those who speak most loudly about transparency should be willing to apply it in practice. By voting this down, an important opportunity has been missed to strengthen trust and accountability. At a time when the Commission is gaining significant powers in the implementation of the AI Act, proper scrutiny is not optional — it is essential.”

Assita Kanko, ECR LIBE Coordinator, said:

“Artificial intelligence will shape our economies and our democracies. Europe must therefore get the balance right between safeguarding fundamental rights and enabling innovation.

“If the rules become overly complex or burdensome, Europe risks falling behind in a technology that will define the future. This is not a theoretical risk — it is already being raised by businesses and innovators across Europe.

“Today’s vote brings some improvements, but the work is far from finished. In plenary, we must ensure that Europe’s AI framework remains both protective and practical.”