EU AI Act timeline and deadlines

Last verified: 27 July 2026

Every key date from the staged application calendar, with Omnibus changes marked and original dates shown where they moved.

Legal status. The Digital Omnibus on AI was published in the Official Journal of the EU on July 24, 2026 as Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 and entered into force on July 27, 2026. The deferred dates below are now binding law.
Status last verified:

In effect

AI Act entered into force

Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 entered into force, starting the staged application calendar.

In effect

GPAI model provider obligations apply

Obligations for providers of general-purpose AI models apply, including technical documentation, information to downstream providers, copyright-policy duties, and additional duties for systemic-risk models.

Upcoming

Article 50 transparency obligations apply

Users must be informed when interacting with an AI system; AI-generated or manipulated content, including deepfakes, must be disclosed; disclosure duties apply for emotion-recognition and biometric-categorization systems. Article 49 EU database registration framework and governance/enforcement provisions also apply. This date was not deferred.

Changed by Omnibus Original: August 2, 2026

Machine-readable marking grace period ends for older generative systems

The machine-readable marking/watermarking duty under Article 50(2) applies to generative systems placed on the market before Aug 2, 2026 after a four-month grace period. Systems placed on the market on or after Aug 2, 2026 must comply from placement.

Changed by the Digital Omnibus on AI (Regulation (EU) 2026/1744), in force since July 27, 2026.

Changed by Omnibus Original: August 2, 2026

National AI regulatory sandboxes must be established

Member States must establish national AI regulatory sandboxes. The Digital Omnibus on AI moved this from its original date.

Changed by the Digital Omnibus on AI (Regulation (EU) 2026/1744), in force since July 27, 2026.

Changed by Omnibus Original: August 2, 2026

Standalone high-risk AI obligations under Annex III apply

Obligations for standalone high-risk AI systems under Annex III, such as recruitment, credit scoring, education, essential services, law enforcement, migration, justice, critical infrastructure, and biometric identification, are moved from the original date by the Digital Omnibus on AI.

Changed by the Digital Omnibus on AI (Regulation (EU) 2026/1744), in force since July 27, 2026.

Changed by Omnibus Original: August 2, 2027

High-risk AI obligations for Annex I regulated products apply

Obligations for high-risk AI embedded in Annex I regulated products, including medical devices, machinery, vehicles, toys, lifts, and radio equipment, are moved from the original date by the Digital Omnibus on AI.

Changed by the Digital Omnibus on AI (Regulation (EU) 2026/1744), in force since July 27, 2026.