The 8th WEEK FOR LIFE in the European Parliament

On Tuesday, March 20th, the 8th WEEK FOR LIFE in the European Parliament was marked by a conference on RESPONSIBILITY in the TIME OF ROBOTS organized by the European People’s Party Group in the EP and the One of US Federation. The event was hosted by MEP Miroslav Mikolášik, chairman of the EPP working group on Bioethics and Human Dignity and gathered stakeholders from different groups to discuss on the topic at stake. Throughout the session, speakers expressed concern over the increasing number of robots in our daily life and emphasised the need to ensure that the impact of robotics on the labor market is justly examined and that issues on liability are properly addressed. The lively debate touched on practical aspects, including the possible representation of robots as legal persons, the creation of a universal code of conduct for them and the adjustment of artificial intelligence in the human body. Although the EP plenary session of February 16th, 2017 adopted a report on Civil Law Rules on Robotics, the participants in the conference made it clear that a new resolution should limit the future advancement of cyber devices by protecting the dignity, autonomy and self-determination of the human being, bringing a legal framework based on ethical principles and establishing a code of conduct for engineers. Founded in 2013, One of Us is an European Citizens’ Initiative launched by a group of citizens from the European Union countries demanding the Community institutions to guarantee the protection of human beings since conception, in the areas of competence of the EU. It brings together almost all of the pro-life and pro-family organisations in Europe. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif] [endif]