EU Moves Forward With AI Act Despite US Pushback

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 4, 2025

Brussels is pressing ahead with the enforcement of its landmark AI Act, which includes new guidance on prohibited AI practices, despite threats from former US President Donald Trump regarding the regulation of American tech companies.

The AI Act is seen as the world’s most comprehensive AI regulation. On Sunday, the European Union began enforcing provisions that ban certain practices, including the creation of facial recognition databases through internet scraping. New guidance on how these rules should be applied will be released by the European Commission on Tuesday, with further provisions targeting high-risk AI applications, such as those in healthcare, to be rolled out by 2027.

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The EU’s push for enforcement comes as US-based tech companies, supported by Trump’s administration, express concerns over the regulation. Trump has warned that the EU’s treatment of American firms could result in retaliation, particularly regarding fines imposed on companies like Meta and Google. Trump’s administration has also signaled a shift in the US stance on AI regulation, promoting a less restrictive approach, including the announcement of a $500 billion AI infrastructure project backed by SoftBank and OpenAI.

Despite this pushback, the European Commission is steadfast in its commitment to enforcing the AI Act. The law requires companies developing high-risk AI systems to be more transparent about their processes and undergo risk assessments. Non-compliance could lead to hefty fines or even a ban from the EU market.

Big Tech has raised concerns that the EU’s transparency requirements could stifle innovation, particularly rules allowing third-party inspections of AI models for risk assessments. Meta has been vocal about the “onerous” nature of these provisions. However, Brussels continues to assert its position as the global leader in trustworthy AI, even as it navigates increasing opposition from the tech sector.

Caterina Rodelli, an EU policy analyst at Access Now, suggests that the approach to implementing the AI Act could shift under the new US administration. “There’s a risk that regulators could relax the rules, potentially undermining their effectiveness,” she noted.

While the EU’s recent bans have been clear, much is still to be determined in negotiations over the Code of Practice for general-purpose AI, which will affect major AI models such as Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s GPT-4. These discussions, which involve hundreds of stakeholders, are set to conclude in April.

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Cyprus’ Strong Youth Employment Rate Still Does Not Guarantee Early Independence

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 16, 2026

Young people in Cyprus have a relatively high employment rate, but they leave the parental home later than the EU average, according to Eurostat data.

Cypriots left home at an average age of 27 in 2025, compared with 26.3 years across the EU. At the same time, 72.3% of people aged 20 to 29 in Cyprus were employed, well above the EU average of 65.5%.

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Strong Employment Does Not Mean Early Independence

Only nine countries recorded higher youth employment rates than Cyprus. Iceland led at 85.3%, followed by the Netherlands at 84%, Malta at 82.1%, Switzerland at 78.3% and Germany at 77%.

Norway recorded 76.5%, Ireland 76.1%, Denmark 74.8% and Austria 74.6%. Eurostat said countries where young people leave home earlier generally tend to have higher youth employment rates.

Southern Europe Sees Later Moves

Finland had the lowest average age for leaving the parental home at 21.4 years, followed by Denmark at 21.8 and Estonia and Lithuania at 22.7. Croatia recorded the highest average at 31.5 years, followed by Greece and Slovakia at 30.9. Spain and Italy both stood at 30.2 years.

Across the EU, the average has remained close to 26 since 2002, rising only slightly from 26.2 years in 2024 to 26.3 years in 2025.

Cyprus Labour Market Is Cooling

The figures come as Cyprus’ labor market shows some signs of easing, although demand for workers remains relatively strong by European standards.

Separate Eurostat data showed Cyprus had the EU’s largest annual decline in its job vacancy rate in the second quarter of 2026. The rate fell to 2.6% from 3.3% a year earlier, but remained above the EU average of 2.0% and the euro area average of 2.1%.

Cost Of Living Remains A Factor

Housing and other living costs can also affect how quickly young workers establish independent households. Eurostat reported that Cyprus’ household consumption price level was 89.2% of the EU average in 2025.

A relatively lower overall price level does not eliminate affordability pressures for people on modest incomes. For younger workers, the issue can be whether wages are sufficient to cover rent, utilities, food and other basic expenses.

Cyprus therefore combines relatively high youth employment with a later transition to independent living, suggesting that access to work and the ability to afford a separate household do not always move together.

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