AI Act enforcement timeline
Every key AI Act date — entry into force, transposition deadlines, phased provisions, and compliance milestones. 7 milestones tracked, sourced directly from EUR-Lex.
The EU AI Act enters into force in phases from August 1, 2024, through August 2, 2027. Understanding the timeline is critical for compliance planning — different obligations apply at different dates, creating a rolling set of deadlines.
| Entry into Force | August 1, 2024 (entire regulation) |
| Prohibited Practices | Enforceable from February 2, 2025 |
| General-Purpose AI | Obligations apply from August 2, 2025 |
| High-Risk AI Systems | Full compliance required by August 2, 2026 |
| Regulated Product AI | Compliance deadline August 2, 2027 |
Common Questions
- When does the AI Act actually apply?
- The AI Act entered into force on August 1, 2024. Prohibited AI practices became enforceable February 2, 2025. High-risk AI systems must comply by August 2, 2026. Most other obligations phase in between 2025–2027.
- Do existing high-risk AI systems have a grace period?
- No. All high-risk AI systems must comply by August 2, 2026, regardless of when they were deployed. However, systems placed on the market before August 2, 2026, have until August 2, 2027, if they comply with transition rules.
- What does "general-purpose AI" mean for compliance purposes?
- General-purpose AI models (like ChatGPT or Claude) that pose systemic risks must comply with transparency obligations from August 2, 2025, and shall undergo conformity assessment. High-impact general-purpose AI models face additional risk management and testing requirements.
- Can I delay AI Act compliance if I file a transition plan?
- Providers can request transition arrangements for existing systems if they demonstrate serious market disruption. This requires early notification to competent authorities and is not guaranteed — it is at the discretion of national authorities.
- What happens on August 2, 2026?
- On August 2, 2026, all high-risk AI systems placed on the market or deployed within the EU must be fully compliant. Non-compliance from this date triggers enforcement actions and penalties by national authorities and the EU AI Office.
- Is there an AI Act phase-in for SMEs?
- SMEs do not have a blanket exemption, but the AI Act allows national authorities to tailor support and timelines. Some member states may provide compliance guidance or extended timelines for SME compliance, but this varies by jurisdiction.
When does AI Act take effect?
AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) has 7 key enforcement milestones. 4 milestones have already passed; 3 milestones are upcoming. The next key date is 2 August 2026: High-risk AI systems obligations enter into full application.
Next milestone: 2 August 2026 — 37 days away
Source: Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 via EuroComply EU Regulation Deadlines dataset
Total milestones
7
In force
4
Upcoming
3
AI Act — complete milestone timeline
Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 · Official text
EU AI Act enters into force
The Regulation entered into force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal (OJ L, 12 July 2024). The full application is phased over subsequent years.
Applies to: all providers, deployers, importers, and distributors of AI systems in the EU market
Penalty: varies by article; up to €35M or 7% of worldwide annual turnover
Prohibited AI practices ban takes effect; AI literacy obligation applies
Six months after entry into force: Article 5 prohibitions (subliminal manipulation, social scoring, real-time biometric surveillance in public spaces, etc.) become enforceable. Article 4 AI literacy obligation applies to providers and deployers.
Applies to: all providers and deployers of AI systems in the EU; national competent authorities
Penalty: up to €35M or 7% of worldwide annual turnover for prohibited practice violations
First GPAI Code of Practice draft published by AI Office
The EU AI Office published the first draft Code of Practice for General Purpose AI model providers, covering transparency obligations, copyright compliance, systemic risk assessment, and incident reporting.
Applies to: providers of GPAI models made available in the EU
Penalty: up to €15M or 3% of global annual turnover for GPAI violations
EU AI Act codes of practice deadline; notified body designation begins
18 months after entry into force: Codes of practice for GPAI model providers must be finalised (Art. 56). Member States must designate notified bodies for conformity assessment of high-risk AI systems.
Applies to: GPAI model providers; Member States; notified bodies
Penalty: up to €15M or 3% of worldwide annual turnover for GPAI obligation violations
High-risk AI systems obligations enter into full application
24 months after entry into force: Obligations for high-risk AI systems listed in Annex III (biometrics, critical infrastructure, employment, education, law enforcement) become fully applicable. Providers and deployers must complete conformity assessments, register in the EU database, and implement post-market monitoring.
Applies to: providers and deployers of high-risk AI systems (Annex III categories)
Penalty: up to €15M or 3% of worldwide annual turnover
High-risk AI systems must be registered in EU database
Providers of high-risk AI systems (Annex III) must register their systems in the EU-wide database for AI systems before placing on the market or putting into service.
Applies to: providers of Annex III high-risk AI systems; deployers in public-sector contexts
Penalty: up to €15M or 3% of worldwide annual turnover
GPAI models already on market before August 2025 must comply
36 months after entry into force: General Purpose AI models that were already placed on the market before 2 August 2025 must comply with GPAI obligations (Chapter V) by this date.
Applies to: providers of GPAI models that were on market before 2 August 2025
Penalty: up to €15M or 3% of worldwide annual turnover
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Check scope — freeFor informational purposes only. This is not legal advice — consult qualified legal counsel for advice specific to your situation. Dates reflect official EUR-Lex sources; verify with your national competent authority for jurisdiction-specific transposition dates.
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