This article provides an overview of the EU Commission's AI measures in the 2025 Work Programme and the AI Continent Action Plan presented on 9 April.
The EU has long recognised the relevance of artificial intelligence (AI) and is taking a variety of measures. The European Commission aims to make Europe an AI continent and to take a leading role in AI innovation worldwide. On 29 January 2025 the European Commission presented its "compass to regain competitiveness" in which it presents a roadmap for the economic policy priorities for the next five years. On 11 February 2025 the European Commission also adopted its 2025 Work Programme, listing the measures to be taken this year. Following its Political Guidelines 2024 - 2029, the Commission has announced, among other things, that it intends to abandon its plans for an AI Liability Directive.
The European Commission also published the AI Continent Action Plan on 9 April 2025. The European Commission's current AI plans should be seen in the context of the Commission's EUR 200 billion investment initiative "InvestAI", which was announced recently at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris. Finally, we will also take a look at the central EU funding programme "Digital Europe" which provides the financial basis for many of the AI initiatives anchored in the Competitiveness Compass and the Work Programme.
AI in the EU Work Programme 2025 and in the EU Competition Compass
AI Factories Initiative as part of the AI Continent Action Plan in Q1
The AI Factories initiative is part of the AI Continent Action Plan. The AI Factories initiative aims to reap the benefits of aggregation and network effects at EU level and builds on the existing network of EuroHPC supercomputers European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking [EuroHPC]). A network of AI Factories will be established to increase Europe's computing power. The AI Factories will be made available to start-ups, researchers and industry so they can train, develop and improve their AI models. 13 of the AI Factories are already in operation (in Germany, Italy and Spain, among others, see p. 6 in the Action Plan). The aim is to build trustworthy and modern generative AI models. The AI Factories were categorised as a priority by the Commission. The EU Competitiveness Compass and the European Commission's Work Programme had planned the AI Factories initiative and the AI Continent Action Plan for the first quarter of 2025.
Will the EU Quantum Strategy help Europe achieve a leading position in quantum technology?
Due to the close connection between AI and quantum technology, the EU also aims to take a leading position in this field. In the EU Compass, the Commission recognises that quantum technologies are revolutionising digital encryption systems, which form the basis for current security and defence communication, health scanning, drug research and business transactions.
The Quantum Strategy and Quantum Act will build on the Chips Act to eliminate regulatory fragmentation and align EU programmes and national programmes. Investments in a Europe-wide quantum computer, communication and sensor infrastructure are also planned. The EU Quantum Strategy is scheduled to be implemented in the second quarter of 2025, while the Quantum Act is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year.
The Apply AI Strategy in the EU Competitiveness Compass
Together with the AI in Science Strategy, the Apply AI Strategy aims to promote new industrial applications of AI in various sectors such as manufacturing, automotive, energy, robotics, pharmaceuticals, aviation, financial services and public services such as healthcare and justice. The European Commission wants to ensure that customised solutions are used and points out that to date only 13.5 % of companies in the EU have introduced AI. The EU Competitiveness Compass and the Action Plan envisage this project for the third quarter of 2025 to address this issue.
The European Commission's AI Office has launched a public consultation on the Apply AI Strategy. Contributions to the public consultation can be submitted until 4 June 2025.
Also in Q3: The AI in Science Strategy
The AI in Science Strategy planned for the third quarter of 2025 envisages that the digitalisation of public services and the integration of AI in the public sector will increase competitiveness. Better EU-wide coordination and support for these AI use cases could be ensured by a "CERN for AI", according to the Compass. The European Commission's investments in AI "InvestAI" announced at the AI Summit in February are also related to this, as EUR 20 billion of the EUR 200 billion are earmarked for AI gigafactories.
The Compass envisages that the European Research Council and the European Innovation Council will operate along the same strategic interests in their respective areas and work more closely together.
Data Union Strategy for secure data exchange
The Data Union Strategy, which the Compass envisages for the third quarter of 2025, is also closely linked to AI. As the availability of large and high-quality data is essential for AI development, the EU Commission will propose a Data Union Strategy in 2025 to improve and facilitate secure sharing of private and public data in the sense of an internal market for data. It is also planned to establish data labs to facilitate access to data.
The EU Cloud and AI Development Act
With the Cloud and AI Development Act, the European Commission wants to mobilise public and private initiatives to establish new AI Gigafactories specialised in training very large AI models and promote central AI ecosystems throughout the EU. At the same time, minimum criteria are to be defined for cloud services offered in Europe - particularly with regard to security, interoperability and sustainability. These measures complement the support already planned for designing and manufacturing advanced AI chips in Europe. This measure provided for in the EU's Digital Compass is planned for the fourth quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026.
The Commission has launched a public consultation as part of the preparations for the draft legislation. The aim is to gather opinions and perspectives from stakeholders on the EU's performance in the area of cloud and edge computing infrastructure. The consultation will close on 4 June 2025. Feedback can be submitted to the European Commission.
AI Liability Directive withdrawn (for the time being)
According to the European Commission's Work Programme, it is not expected that an agreement will be reached on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the adaptation of non-contractual civil liability rules to AI (AI Liability Directive). The Commission wishes to examine whether a different proposal should be made or a different approach should be adopted. The Commission appears to be turning away from a comprehensive regulation.
Digital Europe Programme - the strategic backbone of EU AI policy
In addition to the political projects, the "Digital Europe Programme" (DIGITAL) is the EU's central funding instrument for promoting key digital technologies. It was approved by the European Commission on 28 March 2025.
With a budget of EUR 3.2 billion for 2025 to 2027, targeted measures in areas such as AI, cloud infrastructures, cyber security, semiconductors, digital skills and digital public services will be supported. The programme is a cornerstone for implementing the digital transformation and for technological sovereignty in Europe.
The specific projects under the programme include developing the aforementioned AI Factories, establishing common sectoral European data spaces (e.g. for health, tourism or manufacturing) and developing a European digital identity architecture. Four new Digital Skills Academies will also be established for GenAI, chips and quantum, among others. The programme also provides for investments in virtual worlds, AI test environments, generative AI applications and cyber security initiatives. Digital Europe therefore provides the technological and financial basis for many AI initiatives anchored in the Competitiveness Compass and the Work Programme.
