European Union AI Act Weakens Fundamental Safety for Industrial Workers

The European Trade Union warns that at a time when AI-powered machinery is becoming standardized in industrial production workplaces, the political agreement reached under the EU Digital Omnibus (AI Omnibus) seriously undermines worker safety. The decision to downgrade safeguards in the Machinery Regulation undermines consistent protection and opens the door to greater legal uncertainty across the EU.

The consensus reached by co-legislators on the AI Omnibus marks a dangerous turning point for European industrial workers operating machinery. It affects millions of workers in the mining, manufacturing and energy sectors, where AI technologies are increasingly being integrated into machinery, automated systems and personal protective equipment (PPE).

For the European Trade Union, the regrettable message behind this agreement is clear: when industrial lobbying intensifies, workers’ rights and occupational health and safety become negotiable.

Similar Concerns in Turkey

A similar picture is emerging in Turkey. Particularly in the automotive, textile, metalworking and mining sectors, while AI-powered automation systems are rapidly spreading, regulations on worker safety are lagging behind current technological developments.

Worker unions such as Türk Metal, Türk-İş and DİSK emphasize that occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation does not provide adequate protection regarding AI-powered machinery, that the existing legal framework focuses on traditional machinery, and fails to cover the new risks created by systems with autonomous decision-making capabilities.

Especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the implementation of AI technologies in low-cost and non-standard ways exposes workers to additional risks. Considering that workplace accidents in Turkey remain above the EU average, relaxing safety standards during technological transformation creates an unacceptable situation.

A Dangerous Step Backward in Europe

From the beginning of the discussions, warnings were issued about the serious consequences this deregulation agenda could have for workers and occupational safety and health (OSH), particularly through the sectoral legislation listed in the AI Act, such as the Machinery Regulation and PPE rules, as well as through the weakening of the definition of “safety components”. Despite these warnings, the final compromise gives life to many of the concerns raised by trade unions and worker representatives.

One of the most alarming elements of the agreement is the decision to move the Machinery Regulation from Annex I, Section A of the AI Act (which ensures the strongest and most harmonised safety requirements) to Section B. This is not a technical adjustment. In practice, Section A guarantees that high-risk products automatically fall under the strictest AI safety obligations across the EU. Moving machinery into Section B means these safeguards are no longer applied in the same automatic and consistent way. Many AI systems embedded in industrial machinery will no longer be systematically covered by the strongest level of protection under the AI Act, leading to a weaker and more fragmented safety framework for workers across Europe.

This creates a major regulatory gap for industrial AI systems. Despite the so-called safeguards presented by negotiators, the outcome establishes a dangerous precedent. The result appears likely to create greater legal uncertainty, fragmented enforcement, and an uneven playing field across Europe. It also adds legal complexity, running directly counter to the objective of “simplification”.

The Ongoing Deregulation Trend

During the 2023 Machinery Regulation negotiations, the explicit reference to “high-risk machinery” was removed. This reflected the influence of industry lobbying in favour of lighter obligations and fewer controls. In the same process, the number of machinery categories subject to third-party conformity assessments was progressively reduced from 25 to just six in the final regulation.

The AI Omnibus Act outcomes and general deregulation processes have spread across the entire political spectrum. The European Commission, some Member States and certain political groups in the European Parliament have framed regulation not as a democratic guarantee of safety, accountability and workers’ rights, but as something to be adjusted to contribute to advancing the development of AI-powered machinery. The implications go beyond AI policy. At stake is not only regulatory coherence, but also the credibility of the European social model.

Isabelle Barthès, General Secretary of the European Trade Union, said on the matter: “Workers in mining, manufacturing and energy sectors already face hazardous and increasingly automated working environments and conditions. Weakening their safety through the use of AI-powered machinery sends the wrong political signal. It undermines confidence in Europe’s commitment to safe and human-centred technological transition.”

Turkish Perspective: Officials from Turkish trade unions also voiced similar concerns, stating: “Turkey urgently needs up-to-date regulations in both its EU harmonization process and domestic legislation that will manage technological advancement without compromising worker safety.” They emphasized that the increasing use of next-generation robotic systems and collaborative robots (cobots) must be specifically addressed in current OHS legislation.