# Recital (8)

A Union legal framework laying down harmonised rules on AI is therefore needed to foster the development, use 
and uptake of AI in the internal market that at the same time meets a high level of protection of public interests, such 
as health and safety and the protection of fundamental rights, including democracy, the rule of law and 
environmental protection as recognised and protected by Union law. To achieve that objective, rules regulating the 
placing on the market, the putting into service and the use of certain AI systems should be laid down, thus ensuring 
the smooth functioning of the internal market and allowing those systems to benefit from the principle of free 
movement of goods and services. Those rules should be clear and robust in protecting fundamental rights, 
supportive of new innovative solutions, enabling a European ecosystem of public and private actors creating AI 
systems in line with Union values and unlocking the potential of the digital transformation across all regions of the 
Union. By laying down those rules as well as measures in support of innovation with a particular focus on small and 
medium enterprises (SMEs), including startups, this Regulation supports the objective of promoting the European 
human-centric approach to AI and being a global leader in the development of secure, trustworthy and ethical AI as 
stated by the European Council (5), and it ensures the protection of ethical principles, as specifically requested by the 
European Parliament (6).
of artificial intelligence, robotics and related technologies, 2020/2012(INL).

---
Source: Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (Artificial Intelligence Act) as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, consolidated text of 27 July 2026 (Official Journal of the EU). This page is AI-generated legal information, not legal advice. Verify against the Official Journal.
Canonical: https://euaiactlaw.com/recital/8