Weekly highlights

Weekly highlights

Each week, we provide a round up of key developments in the technology, media and telecommunications law. This subtopic is an archive of all previous

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Latest TMT News

Commission experts publish third draft of General-Purpose AI Code of Practice

The European Commission's independent experts released the third draft of the General-Purpose AI Code of Practice on 11 March 2025. The draft introduces a streamlined structure with 2 commitments on transparency and copyright applicable to all general-purpose AI providers, plus 16 commitments on safety and security for providers of models with systemic risk. The Code, expected to be finalised in May 2025, will serve as a compliance tool for the AI Act. It includes a new Model Documentation Form and simplified copyright measures. Stakeholders can provide feedback until 30 March 2025 through an interactive website and dedicated workshops.

Balancing free speech against impartiality in news reporting (GB News v OFCOM)

TMT analysis: The High Court has overturned a decision by OFCOM that two broadcasts on GB News' programme ‘Jacob Rees-Mogg's State of the Nation’, breached Broadcasting Code rules on due impartiality and accuracy in news reporting. This is the first time that OFCOM has lost a judicial review of its decisions relating to the Broadcasting Code. The court held that the presentation of news by a politician in the context of a hybrid news and current affairs programme is not a breach of rule 5.3 prohibiting a politician from being used as a newsreader, interviewer or reporting in any news programme, although it could breach the more general rule requiring ‘news, in whatever form’ to be reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality under rule 5.1, but that would depend on a detailed contextual analysis of the particular broadcast. The decision has now been remitted back to OFCOM to undertake this more context-specific analysis. Written by Giles Crown, partner, and Charlotte Peach, senior associate, at Taylor Wessing LLP.

AI model providers see European Commission finalise panel of scientific experts

MLex: The European Commission adopted an implementing Act setting out the establishment and operation of the scientific panel of independent experts that will advise and support EU and national authorities on the enforcement of the EU AI Act’s rules on general-purpose AI models. The final Act includes significant changes compared to an earlier draft on sensitive matters such as conflict of interest, internal procedures, and transparency.

Commission updates AI procurement model clauses following EU AI Act adoption

The European Commission has released updated model contractual clauses for artificial intelligence (AI) procurement on 5 March 2025, revising the original September 2023 version to align with the EU AI Act adopted in June 2024. The update includes a comprehensive version for high-risk AI systems, a lighter version for non-high-risk AI, and accompanying practical guidance. The clauses aim to support public buyers in implementing AI procurement practices that comply with the new regulatory framework.