A Union legal framework laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence is therefore needed to foster the development, use and uptake of artificial intelligence 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, as recognised and protected by Union law. To achieve that objective, rules regulating the placing on the market and putting into service 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. By laying down those rules and building on the work of the High-level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence as reflected in the Guidelines for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the EU, this Regulation supports the objective of the Union of being a global leader in the development of secure, trustworthy and ethical artificial intelligence as stated by the European Council, and it ensures the protection of ethical principles, as specifically requested by the European Parliament .