European Union: European Commission published first draft of General-Purpose AI Code of Practice, including transparency obligations

On 14 November 2024, the European Commission published the first draft of the General-Purpose Artificial Intelligence (AI) Code of Practice (Code), which defines transparency obligations for providers of general-purpose AI models under Article 53(1)(a)–(b) of the AI Act, requiring technical documentation. The Code applies to providers of general-purpose AI models and their downstream integrators, including those involved in high-risk AI applications. The Code sets out obligations, including maintaining up-to-date technical documentation detailing model training, testing, and evaluation, to be shared with the AI Office and national authorities upon request. Providers must also supply downstream developers with detailed model information to ensure proper integration and legal compliance. The Code emphasises transparency, requiring disclosures on model capabilities, limitations, licensing, distribution methods, and training data. An Acceptable Use Policy must also be published, outlining permitted and prohibited uses, security measures, and compliance protocols. To ensure copyright compliance, providers must obtain authorisation from rightsholders where required, particularly in cases of text and data mining.