Organising Institution
Bocconi University
Italy
Fundamental Rights Impact Assessments under the EU AI Act: Who, What, and How
- Panel
- Maritime
- Wednesday 21.05 — 14:15 - 15:30
- Academic 2
- Business 2
- Policy 2
The EU AI Act mandates Fundamental Rights Impact Assessments (FRIA) for high-risk AI systems, establishing them as a critical safeguard for fundamental rights like privacy, non-discrimination, and human dignity. This panel examines the legal, practical, and ethical dimensions of FRIA, addressing key questions: Who conducts these assessments? How are risks identified and mitigated? And what ensures their substantive, not merely procedural, value?
Using real-world examples, such as the systemic risks of bias in creditworthiness assessments and surveillance in AI applications like facial recognition, the panel will analyze the challenges of aligning FRIA with EU law while promoting accountability and transparency. The discussion will propose a comprehensive FRIA model, offering actionable strategies for implementation and compliance. By uniting experts from academia, industry, and institutions, the panel aims to ensure fundamental rights are embedded into the governance of AI systems.
Questions to be answered
- Who conducts FRIA, and what roles do industry, academia, and civil society play in ensuring their effectiveness?
- How can FRIA identify and mitigate systemic risks, such as bias in creditworthiness assessments and surveillance in facial recognition technologies?
- What mechanisms ensure that FRIA go beyond procedural formalities to deliver substantive protection of fundamental rights like privacy, non-discrimination, and human dignity?
- What actionable models and strategies can refine FRIA implementation to align with EU law and ensure accountability, transparency, and compliance in high-risk AI systems?
Moderator
Oreste Pollicino
Bocconi University - Italy
Oreste Pollicino is a Full Professor of Constitutional Law and AI Regulation at Bocconi University. He directs the LL.M. in Law of Technology and Automated Systems and co-directs the Research Unit Law and Economic Studies (RULES).
A leading scholar in digital rights, AI governance, and disinformation, he is one of Europe's most cited constitutional law experts. He has advised Italian authorities, like AGCOM, and European ones, like the EU Commission, as well as global institutions (OECD, WEF) on AI regulation, data protection, and fundamental rights impact assessments.
Pollicino regularly writes for major Italian newspapers and is a columnist for Il Sole 24 Ore. He is a keynote speaker at top policy forums (ASPEN, Ambrosetti, Astrid) and President of the Centre of Digital Constitutionalism and Policy (DICOPO) in Brussels. He represents Italy at the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights in Vienna.
Speaker
Lokke Moerel
Tilburg University; Morrison & Foerster - Netherlands
Lokke Moerel is among the world’s best-known experts on new technologies and the governance of digital transformation and its impact on companies, workforce, and society at large.
She is a pioneer of ‘Responsible AI’ and regularly called upon by regulators and global tech companies alike how to best regulate and implement digital technologies and business models based on privacy/ethics/security-by-design. Lokke is Senior of Counsel with the global technology law firm Morrison & Foerster and also Professor of Global ICT Law at Tilburg University and co-academic director of the Tilburg University professional learning program AI & Law (teaching Algorithmic Accountability).
Lokke is a member of the Dutch Cyber Security Council, advising the Dutch government on national cybersecurity strategy. Recognized as a thought leader, she frequently speaks at international conferences and contributes to policy discussions on digital regulation and AI ethics.
Speaker
Yordanka Ivanova
European Commission - Europe
Yordanka Ivanova is a Senior Policy Expert at the European Commission, specializing in AI regulation, digital policy, and telecommunications law. She plays a key role in shaping EU tech governance, focusing on AI, data protection, and platform regulation.
With extensive experience in telecoms, media, and digital markets, she contributes to international policy discussions and regulatory frameworks. She is a frequent speaker at global forums on digital regulation and emerging technologies.
Speaker
Neil Richards
Washington University School of Law - United States
Neil Richards is the Koch Distinguished Professor of Law at Washington University in St. Louis and a leading scholar in privacy, free expression, and AI regulation. He is the Director of the Cordell Institute for Policy in Medicine & Law and has advised governments, corporations, and NGOs on data protection and digital governance.
An internationally recognized expert, he has authored influential books on privacy and technology, frequently speaks at global conferences, and contributes to policy debates on digital rights and AI ethics.
Speaker
Andrea Cosentini
Intesa Sanpaolo - Italy
Andrea Cosentini holds a degree in Physics and a Doctorate in Mathematics and Statistics for Economics. He began his professional career by applying mathematical models to financial markets and later transitioned to trading equity derivatives, working in investment banks in Milan and London. Recognizing the potential of data and the effectiveness of new Artificial Intelligence techniques, he assumed the role of CEO at an AI service development company in 2017. In 2019, he was appointed to lead the Center of Excellence on AI at Intesa Sanpaolo. From October 2020 to December 2022, he served as Chief Data Officer in the Department for Transformation of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, where he was responsible for designing and developing PNRR projects, including the National Digital Data Platform. Now, he is Head of Data Science & Responsible AI in Intesa Sanpaolo.
Speaker
Federica Paolucci
Bocconi University - Italy
Federica Paolucci, a Postdoctoral research fellow in Constitutional Law working at the DigCon project (Digital Constitutionalism: Rights, Remedies, and Policy in the Algorithmic Society) at Bocconi University, Baffi Research Centre. She is also a PhD candidate in Constitutional Law at Bocconi University and the Coordinator for the LL.M. in Law of Internet Technology. Her research revolves around the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the protection of fundamental rights, with a particular emphasis on access to justice in the context of biometric recognition technologies.