EU AI Act Timeline & Deadlines

The AI Act applies in phases. Some duties are already in force; the big high-risk and transparency obligations land on 2 August 2026. Below you will find every phase, plus a live status board on the parts that are still moving, including the proposed Digital Omnibus.

The date most companies are watching

2 August 2026

Most high-risk + transparency obligations

From this date, most obligations for high-risk Annex III systems and the Article 50 transparency duties begin to apply, unless the proposed Digital Omnibus postpones the high-risk date.

Already in force

Bans, AI literacy, GPAI & penalties

The Article 5 prohibitions and Article 4 AI literacy duty (since 2 Feb 2025), and the GPAI rules, governance and penalties (since 2 Aug 2025), already apply.

Phased application dates set by Article 113. See Article 113

What applies to me, and when

If you run a prohibited practice, stop now, the bans have applied since 2 February 2025. Every organisation using AI already owes an AI literacy duty. If your system is high-risk under Annex III, your main date is 2 August 2026 (subject to the proposed Omnibus postponement). If it is built into a regulated product, your date is 2 August 2027. Not sure which tier you are in? Use the risk-tier classifier.

EU AI Act deadlines by phase and what each one means.
DateStatusWhat applies
2 Feb 2025In forceArticle 5 prohibited practices and Article 4 AI literacy.
2 Aug 2025In forceGPAI model rules, governance (the AI Office) and penalties.
2 Aug 2026UpcomingMost high-risk (Annex III) and Article 50 transparency obligations. Proposed Omnibus would move the high-risk date to 2 Dec 2027.
2 Aug 2027UpcomingHigh-risk AI in regulated (Annex I) products, plus GPAI models placed on the market before 2 Aug 2025.

Not sure which one is you, or whether the AI Act even applies to you? Try the risk-tier classifier for a personalised answer.

The phased rollout

Every phase, with sources

From entry into force to the last application date, with the source for each step.

  1. 1 Aug 2024In force

    The AI Act enters into force

    Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 becomes law, 20 days after publication in the Official Journal. The clock starts on the phased application dates.

    Article 113

  2. 2 Feb 2025In force

    Prohibited practices + AI literacy apply

    The Article 5 bans (e.g. social scoring, untargeted facial-image scraping, manipulative AI) and the Article 4 duty to ensure staff AI literacy take effect. These apply to all AI, not just high-risk.

    Implementation timeline

  3. 2 Aug 2025In force

    GPAI rules, governance & penalties apply

    General-purpose AI model rules (Chapter V), the governance structure (the AI Office and national authorities), and the penalty regime take effect. Codes of Practice become operative.

    Implementation timeline

  4. 2 Aug 2026Upcoming

    Most high-risk + transparency obligations apply

    The big one. Most remaining obligations begin to apply, including the high-risk obligations for stand-alone Annex III systems and the Article 50 transparency duties. A proposed Digital Omnibus would postpone the Annex III high-risk date to 2 December 2027 (see the status board).

    European Commission

  5. 2 Aug 2027Upcoming

    AI in regulated products + older GPAI models

    High-risk AI that is a safety component of products regulated under Annex I (machinery, medical devices, toys and more) must comply, and GPAI models placed on the market before 2 Aug 2025 must be brought into compliance.

    Article 113

Live status board

What is settled, and what is still moving

The parts of the AI Act that are in flux right now. We mark each one plainly so you are not caught out.

Proposed, not yet lawProvisional agreement, 7 May 2026

Digital Omnibus: high-risk deadline postponement

The Commission proposed a Digital Omnibus on AI on 19 November 2025, and co-legislators reached a provisional political agreement on 6/7 May 2026. It would push the Annex III high-risk date from 2 Aug 2026 to 2 December 2027, and the Annex I product-safety date from 2 Aug 2027 to 2 August 2028. This is proposed, not yet law; it still needs a Parliament plenary vote, formal Council adoption and Official Journal publication. Until then, the original dates stand.

Council of the EU

Proposed, not yet lawProvisional agreement, May 2026

Digital Omnibus: a 9th Article 5 prohibition

The same deal would add a new prohibition to Article 5: AI generating non-consensual intimate imagery (“nudifier” apps) and AI-generated child sexual abuse material. It is proposed, not yet law. We will update this line the moment it is adopted.

European Parliament

Proposed, not yet lawProposed effective 2 Dec 2026

Article 50 transparency: shorter grace period

Under the proposed Omnibus, the provider grace period for marking AI-generated content would be cut from six months to three, with a new effective date of 2 December 2026. Proposed, not yet law.

Council of the EU

UpcomingLanding through 2026

GPAI Code of Practice & harmonised standards

The GPAI Code of Practice is in use as a compliance tool while CEN-CENELEC finalises the harmonised standards that will give a presumption of conformity. Until those references are published in the Official Journal, organisations rely on the Code and frameworks like ISO/IEC 42001. We will update this as standards land.

European Commission

The Digital Omnibus is PROPOSED, not law

As of 9 June 2026, the Digital Omnibus on AI is a provisional political agreement only. It still needs a Parliament plenary vote, formal Council adoption and Official Journal publication. Until that happens, the 2 August 2026 high-risk date and the other dates above remain the binding legal default. Treat the proposed postponements as not-yet-law and plan against the current dates.

Changelog

What we changed, and when

This is a living page. Every material edit is logged here.

  • 9 Jun 2026Reviewed against the 7 May 2026 provisional Digital Omnibus agreement. Confirmed the binding dates are unchanged and flagged every proposed postponement as not-yet-law.
  • 7 May 2026Added the proposed Digital Omnibus changes (high-risk postponement to 2 Dec 2027, 9th Article 5 prohibition, shorter transparency grace period) to the status board.
  • 2 Aug 2025Marked the GPAI model rules, governance and penalties as in force.

Sources

  1. [1]Article 113, entry into force and application (artificialintelligenceact.eu)retrieved 9 Jun 2026
  2. [2]AI Act implementation timelineretrieved 9 Jun 2026
  3. [3]European Commission: regulatory framework on AIretrieved 9 Jun 2026
  4. [4]Council of the EU: provisional agreement on the Digital Omnibus (7 May 2026)retrieved 9 Jun 2026
  5. [5]European Parliament: AI Act simplification deal and nudifier-app banretrieved 9 Jun 2026
  6. [6]European Commission: Digital Omnibus on AI regulation proposalretrieved 9 Jun 2026
  7. [7]Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (Artificial Intelligence Act), EUR-Lexretrieved 9 Jun 2026

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EU AI Act Timeline & Deadlines (2025-2027) | AI Act Navigator · AI Act Navigator