European Union: Entry into force with grace period of AI Act including testing requirement for "high-risk AI systems"

Description

Entry into force with grace period of AI Act including testing requirement for "high-risk AI systems"

On 1 August 2024, the regulation laying down harmonised rules on Artificial Intelligence (Artificial Intelligence Act) enters into force, 20 days following its publication in the Official Journal, with a grace period on its implementation. The Act includes testing requirements for "high-risk AI systems" as part of the requirement to implement risk management measures for such systems (Art. 9). Specifically, developers must test high-risk AI systems in order to identify the most effective risk management measures to ensure that such systems consistently perform their intended purpose and that they comply with the Act's requirements. Tests should be performed prior to such systems being made available on the market, not going beyond what is necessary to achieve testing purposes and remaining within defined testing metrics. Further, the Regulation provides for the possibility of conducting testing in real-world conditions, i.e. outside of regulatory sandboxes, under certain conditions. The Act is generally implemented on 2 August 2026 after the lapse of the grace period, though some sections are subject to variable implementation periods. For high-risk AI systems as defined by Article 6(1), the Act only applies from 2 August 2027.

Original source

Scope

Policy Area
Design and testing standards
Policy Instrument
Testing requirement
Regulated Economic Activity
ML and AI development
Implementation Level
supranational
Government Branch
legislature
Government Body
parliament

Complete timeline of this policy change

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2021-04-21
under deliberation

On 21 April 2021, the European Commission proposed a regulation on a European approach to Artificia…

2022-12-06
under deliberation

On 6 December 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted its general approach on the Artificia…

2023-05-11
under deliberation

On 11 May 2023, the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIB…

2023-06-14
under deliberation

On 14 June 2023, the European Parliament adopted its position on the Act on Harmonised Rules for Ar…

2023-12-09
under deliberation

On 9 December 2023, the Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted a provisional agr…

2024-03-13
under deliberation

On 13 March 2024, the European Parliament passed the regulation laying down harmonised rules on Ar…

2024-05-21
adopted

On 21 May 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted the regulation laying down harmonised rul…

2024-08-01
in grace period

On 1 August 2024, the regulation laying down harmonised rules on Artificial Intelligence (Artificia…

2026-08-02
in force

On 2 August 2026, the regulation laying down harmonised rules on Artificial Intelligence (Artificia…

2027-08-02
in force

On 2 August 2027, the regulation laying down harmonised rules on Artificial Intelligence (Artificia…