The European Union adopted the Artificial Intelligence Act (the AI Act) in 2024. This law sets rules for how people design, develop, and use artificial intelligence in the European Union.
The aim of the AI Act is to reduce harm and protect fundamental rights. It focuses on AI systems that can strongly affect people’s lives, such as those used in public services, employment, or access to essential support.
However, EU law-makers decided to change the law to streamline some of the rules on the already adopted act, in a so-called ‘effort of simplification’. In May 2026, the European Parliament and the Council agreed on a proposal, called the AI Omnibus (available in PDF). On 16 June, the European Parliament approved the May Omnibus agreement with the Council, which must now adopt it for the AI Omnibus to take effect.
This briefing is written for organisations of persons with disabilities and complements more detailed legal analyses by digital rights organisations (available in PDF).
It explains what the AI Omnibus is, what it changes in the AI Act, and why those changes matter.
It is written for readers without a background in EU law or digital policy and explains how these changes can affect everyday life, including for persons with disabilities.