Ioannis Emiris at the Hellenic Parliament on the implementation of the European Artificial Intelligence Regulation
Responsible AI development, the protection of fundamental rights and the role of Research Centers at the forefront
12-08-2026
Professor Ioannis Emiris, Chairman of the Board and Director General of Athena Research Center, participated on 10 July 2026 in a meeting of the Standing Committee on Public Administration, Public Order and Justice of the Hellenic Parliament, where he presented his views on the Ministry of Digital Governance’s draft law entitled “Measures for the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 (Artificial Intelligence Act) – Amendment of Law 4961/2022 (Government Gazette A΄ 146) and other provisions.”
During his intervention, Prof. Emiris welcomed the overall direction of the draft law, focusing on two particularly important aspects. First, he highlighted the importance of a balanced approach to Artificial Intelligence, one that harnesses the potential of the technology and promotes its effective deployment, while at the same time ensuring respect for and protection of the fundamental rights of citizens and users. He also stressed that the way in which the new regulatory framework is implemented in practice will be of critical importance. As a second key point, he emphasized the need for stable and clear rules throughout the entire lifecycle of the development and deployment of AI systems, from data collection and the development of complex models to the consumption of the necessary computing resources and, ultimately, the deployment of applications for citizens and businesses.
Prof. Emiris placed particular emphasis on the role of Research Centers as a crucial link between research, education, innovation and the market. In this context, he referred to Athena’s contribution to the development of AI and its systematic efforts to bridge the gap between research, innovation and real-world applications. He also highlighted the Center’s significant investment in AI, with an emphasis both on its emerging capabilities and applications and on understanding the risks and challenges associated with its rapid development.
Following his intervention, Prof. Emiris responded to a question from Committee members regarding the needs of the research sector. He noted that, beyond the need for adequate funding and the strengthening of human resources, important institutional issues remain to be addressed, including the equal status of researchers and university faculty members. Finally, he expressed his expectation that this issue will be addressed at the institutional level, while also highlighting the existing opportunities for cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Governance.
