Timetable and penalties

Dates already passed

Published in the Official Journal on 12 July 2024, the Regulation entered into force twenty days later, on 1 August 2024. Since 2 February 2025 the general provisions, AI literacy and prohibited practices have applied; since 2 August 2025, governance, notified bodies, general-purpose models and the penalties regime, except Article 101 (Article 113).

The general date of application arrived on 2 August 2026, covering the transparency rules in Article 50 and fines for providers of general-purpose models. The Omnibus, published on 24 July 2026, entered into force on 27 July 2026.

Dates still to come

2 December 2026: the new prohibitions in points (ba) and (bb) of Article 5 and marking of synthetic content for systems already on the market. 2 August 2027: alignment of general-purpose models placed on the market before August 2025, and at least one AI regulatory sandbox operational in each Member State (Article 57(1)).

2 December 2027: obligations for Annex III high-risk systems. 2 August 2028: those for Annex I systems. 2 August 2030: final deadline for high-risk systems used by public authorities that were already in service (Article 111(2)).

Maximum fines

Prohibited practices: up to EUR 35 million or 7% of total worldwide annual turnover for the preceding financial year, if higher (Article 99(3)). Non-compliance by providers, importers, distributors and deployers, and with the transparency rules in Article 50: up to EUR 15 million or 3% (Article 99(4)). Incorrect or misleading information to authorities or notified bodies: up to EUR 7.5 million or 1% (Article 99(5)).

For SMEs the lower of the two figures applies (Article 99(6)), and the Omnibus extends that rule to small mid-cap enterprises for the fines in paragraphs 4 and 5 (Article 99(6a)). The Commission may fine providers of general-purpose models up to 3% or EUR 15 million, whichever is higher (Article 101).

Each Member State lays down its own penalties regime within those limits and must take into account the interests and economic viability of SMEs (Article 99(1)).

What an auditor usually asks for

• Dates affecting each system in the inventory entered in the compliance calendar
• Prohibited practices already ruled out, as they have applied since 2025
• Transparency notices in place since August 2026
• Adaptation plan for high-risk systems before December 2027

How to tackle it in practice

1. 1Assign each system in the inventory the date that applies to it according to its classification.
2. 2Schedule a review ahead of each milestone, leaving time to request documentation from providers.
3. 3Follow the Commission's guidelines and implementing acts, which flesh out many of the requirements ahead of each date.

Where each figure comes from

References to the official text in force. If a standard is revised, this page is updated and the review date says so.

1. Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Artificial Intelligence Act) EUR-Lex · OJ L 2024/1689 · 12 July 2024
2. Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 (Digital Omnibus on AI), amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 EUR-Lex · OJ L 2026/1744 · 24 July 2026
3. Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, consolidated text EUR-Lex · CELEX 02024R1689-20260727 · Version of 27 July 2026