Anthropic commits to EU AI Code of Practice compliance
Leading AI company announces intention to sign European regulatory framework on July 21, 2025.

Anthropic announced on July 21, 2025, its intention to sign the European Union's General-Purpose AI Code of Practice. According to the company's policy statement, "After review, Anthropic intends to sign the European Union's General-Purpose AI Code of Practice." The announcement positions the AI company among technology firms preparing for mandatory compliance requirements under the EU AI Act.
The timing proves critical as August 2, 2025 marks the effective date for AI Act obligations regarding general-purpose AI models. Anthropic's decision contrasts sharply with other major technology companies. While Microsoft indicates likely signing and OpenAI has already committed, Meta has refused participation citing legal uncertainties.
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The code establishes mandatory Safety and Security Frameworks that will build upon existing company policies. According to Anthropic, "The EU Code establishes this baseline through mandatory Safety and Security Frameworks that build upon Anthropic's own Responsible Scaling Policy." These frameworks require documentation of risk identification, assessment, and mitigation processes throughout AI model development.
European Union analysis indicates substantial economic potential from artificial intelligence deployment. According to Anthropic's statement, "A recent analysis found that AI has the potential to add more than a trillion euros per year to the EU economy by the mid-2030s." This projection underscores the financial incentives for maintaining access to European markets through regulatory compliance.
The code operates alongside Europe's AI Continent Action Plan, demonstrating integrated policy approaches. The framework aims to preserve innovation while enabling broader AI deployment across European markets. This balance becomes increasingly significant as European digital advertising reached €118.9 billion with 16% year-over-year growth.
Anthropic highlighted current AI applications already transforming European industries. "We're already seeing signs of what's possible, from Novo Nordisk accelerating breakthrough drug discovery, to Legora transforming legal work, to the European Parliament expanding access to decades of archives to citizens," the company stated.
The code mandates specific assessment protocols for systemic risks, particularly those involving Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) weapons. According to Anthropic, the frameworks will describe "important processes for assessing and mitigating systemic risks. This includes assessment of catastrophic risks—particularly those from Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) weapons."
These requirements reflect the European Commission's emphasis on safety measures for the most advanced AI systems. The Commission has established a 10²³ FLOP computational benchmark for general-purpose model classification under AI Act enforcement frameworks.
The regulatory approach recognizes the rapid pace of AI development. Anthropic emphasized that "AI moves fast and changes constantly, which means the best policies are those that can be flexible and adapt alongside the technology." The company's Responsible Scaling Policy has undergone several refinements over nearly two years of implementation.
The most recent update addressed ASL-3 Security Standard scope determinations. According to the company, "our most recent update clarified which actors are in-scope for the ASL-3 Security Standard; this determination was based on a deeper understanding of the relevant threat models and model capabilities."
Third-party organizations play crucial roles in developing evaluation standards. Anthropic noted that "Third-party organizations like the Frontier Model Forum play a critical role, establishing common safety practices and evaluation standards that evolve with the technology." These groups bridge industry expertise with government policy requirements.
The multi-stakeholder development process involved nearly 1,000 participants, reflecting broad industry engagement with regulatory frameworks. Different risk categories require specialized methodologies, highlighting the technical complexity of comprehensive AI safety assessment.
Marketing implications become particularly relevant as 91% of digital advertising professionals have experimented with generative AI technologies. The code's transparency requirements will influence how AI-powered advertising tools integrate with major platforms.
Copyright compliance affects content generation
The framework addresses content generation concerns relevant to marketing applications. Requirements for technical safeguards preventing copyright-infringing outputs could affect how AI tools assist with creative content development across advertising campaigns. According to PPC Land analysis, the documentation requirements create opportunities for better understanding model capabilities when selecting AI tools.
For agencies and marketing technology providers, the documentation requirements facilitate assessment of model capabilities and limitations relevant to advertising applications. The code's safety and transparency measures may influence how AI-powered advertising tools integrate with major platforms as 68% of marketers plan to increase social media spending in 2025.
Enforcement timeline provides adjustment periods
The graduated implementation schedule allows companies to assess existing technology partnerships and plan transitions if necessary. According to Commission guidance, enforcement becomes applicable "one year later as regards new models and two years later as regards existing models" placed on the market before August 2025.
The framework includes specific exemptions for models released under free and open-source licenses meeting Article 53(2) conditions. However, these exemptions do not apply to general-purpose AI models with systemic risk capabilities, ensuring continued oversight of the most capable systems.
Member States and the Commission will assess the code's adequacy in coming weeks, with potential approval through implementing acts providing "general validity within the Union." The AI Office retains authority to develop common implementation rules if the code proves inadequate or cannot be finalized by required deadlines.
Competitive positioning amid global regulation
Anthropic's commitment reflects broader strategic considerations for maintaining European market access. The company stated commitment to "working with the EU AI Office and safety organizations to ensure the Code remains both robust and responsive to emerging technologies."
This collaborative approach combines regulatory frameworks with flexibility for technological advancement. The company emphasized that this balance "will be essential for Europe to harness AI's benefits while competing effectively on the global stage."
The decision comes as Denmark sets precedents with early AI Act implementation, providing practical insights for marketing technology companies operating AI-powered advertising tools, optimization systems, and customer targeting applications.
European regulatory alignment becomes increasingly important as industry opposition emerges to overlapping frameworks, with IAB Europe warning against creating redundant compliance requirements alongside existing GDPR, Digital Services Act, and Digital Markets Act obligations.
The announcement demonstrates Anthropic's recognition that transparency requirements create information flows between AI model providers and downstream system developers. For marketing technology companies integrating general-purpose AI models, documentation requirements facilitate assessment of model capabilities and limitations relevant to advertising applications.
Timeline
- July 30, 2024 - AI Office launches call for Code of Practice participation
- September 30, 2024 - Kick-off plenary with nearly 1,000 participants
- December 11, 2024 - Second draft published with EU survey launch
- March 11, 2025 - Third draft released following working group meetings
- July 7, 2025 - IAB Europe announces AI whitepaper addressing digital advertising
- July 10, 2025 - Commission receives final Code of Practice
- July 17, 2025 - AI Office invites providers to sign the GPAI Code of Practice
- July 18, 2025 - Microsoft indicates likely signing while Meta refuses compliance
- July 21, 2025 - Anthropic announces intention to sign EU Code of Practice
- August 1, 2025 - Signatories publicly listed ahead of mandatory enforcement
- August 2, 2025 - AI Act obligations for general-purpose AI models take effect
- August 2026 - Enforcement becomes applicable for new models
- August 2027 - Enforcement becomes applicable for existing models placed on market before August 2025
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Key Marketing Terms
AI-powered advertising tools These represent software applications that utilize artificial intelligence to automate, optimize, and enhance various aspects of digital advertising campaigns. The tools encompass programmatic buying platforms, creative generation systems, audience targeting algorithms, and performance optimization engines. Under the EU AI Act framework, these tools must comply with transparency requirements when incorporating general-purpose AI models, particularly for behavioral targeting and campaign optimization functionalities.
Campaign optimization Campaign optimization refers to the systematic process of improving advertising performance through data analysis, automated adjustments, and strategic refinements. AI-driven optimization systems analyze real-time performance metrics to adjust bidding strategies, audience targeting parameters, and creative delivery mechanisms. The EU Code of Practice documentation requirements will influence how these systems demonstrate compliance with transparency and safety standards.
Behavioral targeting Behavioral targeting encompasses marketing techniques that analyze consumer actions, preferences, and digital footprints to deliver personalized advertising content. Under EU AI Act provisions, certain behavioral targeting applications face restrictions if they manipulate consumer decisions or exploit psychological vulnerabilities. The regulatory framework requires careful assessment of targeting methodologies to ensure compliance with prohibited AI practices.
Content generation Content generation involves AI systems creating advertising copy, visual assets, social media posts, and other marketing materials automatically. The EU Code of Practice addresses copyright compliance requirements that directly impact how AI tools assist with creative content development across advertising campaigns. Technical safeguards preventing copyright-infringing outputs will affect content generation workflows for marketing teams.
Audience targeting Audience targeting represents the process of identifying and reaching specific consumer segments based on demographic, behavioral, or contextual characteristics. AI-powered audience targeting systems must now demonstrate compliance with EU transparency requirements, particularly when processing personal data for advertising delivery. The documentation requirements facilitate assessment of targeting capabilities and limitations.
Marketing technology Marketing technology encompasses the comprehensive suite of software platforms, tools, and systems that enable digital marketing operations. This includes customer relationship management systems, analytics platforms, advertising servers, and AI-powered optimization tools. The EU regulatory framework creates new compliance obligations for marketing technology providers integrating general-purpose AI models.
Digital advertising Digital advertising represents the broad ecosystem of online promotional activities delivered through websites, mobile applications, social media platforms, and connected devices. The industry reached €118.9 billion in Europe during 2024, with 16% year-over-year growth. EU AI Act compliance requirements will influence how digital advertising platforms integrate AI capabilities while maintaining transparency standards.
Programmatic advertising Programmatic advertising refers to the automated buying and selling of digital advertising inventory through real-time bidding systems and algorithmic decision-making processes. These systems increasingly rely on AI for bid optimization, audience matching, and performance prediction. The EU Code of Practice transparency requirements will affect how programmatic platforms document their AI model capabilities and limitations.
Creative assets Creative assets encompass the visual, audio, and textual materials used in advertising campaigns, including images, videos, banner advertisements, and promotional copy. AI-generated creative assets must comply with copyright protection requirements under the EU framework, requiring technical safeguards to prevent infringement. The documentation obligations will influence how creative teams select and deploy AI tools for asset development.
Performance optimization Performance optimization involves the continuous improvement of advertising campaign effectiveness through data analysis, testing methodologies, and algorithmic adjustments. AI-powered optimization systems process conversion data, engagement metrics, and audience signals to enhance campaign performance. Under EU requirements, these systems must provide transparency into their decision-making processes and risk assessment methodologies.
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Summary
Who: Anthropic, the AI company behind Claude, announced its intention to sign the European Union's General-Purpose AI Code of Practice, joining other technology companies preparing for regulatory compliance.
What: The company committed to signing the voluntary code establishing transparency, safety, and accountability requirements for AI model providers, including mandatory Safety and Security Frameworks and documentation of risk assessment processes.
When: The announcement came on July 21, 2025, just weeks before the August 2, 2025 effective date for AI Act obligations regarding general-purpose AI models, with full enforcement phases extending through August 2027.
Where: The commitment applies to Anthropic's operations across European Union markets, affecting how the company develops and deploys AI models accessible to European users and businesses.
Why: Anthropic seeks to maintain European market access while supporting regulatory frameworks that advance transparency, safety, and accountability principles, particularly as AI has potential to add more than a trillion euros per year to the EU economy by the mid-2030s.