A number of MEPs have written to the European Commission in Brussels saying they are “greatly concerned” about plans to change the code of practice enshrined in new legislation to govern the use of AI.

The seven MEPs, including Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak, have been working on the legislation together with the commission and member states. But now, they say, the commission has proposed watering down the code to make it entirely voluntary for the providers of general-purpose AI systems when it comes to assessing and mitigating risks to fundamental rights and democracy.

Van Sparrentak said on social media that the commission’s change of heart is “unbelievable”.

“The latest AI Act code of practice seriously jeopardises the core of the AI Act. Fundamental rights and democracy are not voluntary. These are systemic risks that must simply be assessed and mitigated without a complex maze of additional narrowing criteria,” she said.

The change means, according to the Volkskrant, that the technology companies behind systems such as ChatGPT, Copilot and DeepSeek would no longer have to test their systems for discriminatory or racist content.

It also means, the paper says, that the systems could come under political pressure to adopt more extreme standpoints or facilitate interference in foreign elections.

Making this part of the code voluntary, the letter signatories argue, was never the intention of the agreement and, they say, “it is dangerous, undemocratic and creates legal uncertainty to fully reinterpret and narrow down a legal text that co-legislators agreed on.”

They are calling on the commission to ensure the code of practice “reflects the core principles of the AI Act and protects our society against systemic risks to health, safety, fundamental rights and democracy.”

US tech companies in particular have been campaigning against what they call over-regulation in Europe and last month president Donald Trump called for tariffs on countries hindering ‘American companies’ global competitiveness’.

This initiative specifically targets the US technology sector which the White House claims is a victim of “overseas extortion and unfair fines and penalties”.