European Union: European Commission closes consultation on first draft Code of Practice on marking and labelling of AI-generated content

On 23 January 2026, the European Commission closes the consultation on the first draft of the Code of Practice on marking and labelling of AI-generated content. The draft code aims to assist providers and deployers in fulfilling obligations under Article 50 of the AI Act, which requires providers to mark AI-generated or manipulated content in a machine-readable format and users deploying generative AI systems for professional purposes to label deepfakes and AI-text publications on matters of public interest. The Code of Practice comprises two sections, one for providers of generative AI systems, covering rules for marking and detecting AI content, and another for deployers, addressing the labelling of deepfakes and specific AI-generated or manipulated text concerning public interest matters. The finalisation of the Code is expected by June 2026, with the transparency rules covering AI-generated content under the AI Act becoming applicable on 2 August 2026.