From the AI Act to a European AI Agency: Completing the Union's Regulatory Architecture

2026-03-24

AI Summary

This study addresses the challenge of balancing ethical considerations, innovation, and competitiveness in the face of rapid artificial intelligence development by examining the necessity and feasibility of establishing a supranational European AI regulatory authority under the framework of the EU AI Act. Through policy analysis, institutional design, and a risk governance framework, the research outlines concrete pathways to strengthen regulatory capacity at the EU level. Such an agency would not only enhance policy coherence and the effectiveness of risk assessment but also reinforce the EU’s digital sovereignty. Furthermore, it aims to position the European Union as a global leader in AI governance, offering strategic support for the development of a robust, multilevel AI governance system.

Technology Category

• Philosophy and Ethics of AI: AI & Law, Justice, Regulation & Governance
• Humans and AI: AI for Accessibility
• Machine Learning: Ethics, Bias, and Fairness

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Fairness and ethical considerations in crowd work and in human-in-the-loop AI systems
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Applied ML and AI for Web-based mobile applications

Abstract

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continue to advance, effective risk assessment, regulation, and oversight are necessary to ensure that AI development and deployment align with ethical principles while preserving innovation and economic competitiveness. The adoption of the EU AI Act marks an important step in this direction, establishing a harmonised legal framework that includes detailed provisions on AI governance, as well as the creation of the European AI Office. This paper revisits the question of whether a more robust supranational agency dedicated to AI is still warranted and explores how such a body could enhance policy coherence, improve risk assessment capacities, and foster international cooperation. It also argues that a strengthened EU-level agency would also serve the Union's strategic aim of securing digital and technological sovereignty.

Problem

• AI regulation
• European AI Agency
• AI governance
• digital sovereignty
• risk assessment

Innovation

• AI governance
• European AI Agency
• regulatory architecture
• technological sovereignty
• risk assessment