Key facts

  • High-risk obligations provisionally apply from 2 December 2027 for certain categories.
  • The fuller high-risk regime is provisionally set for 2 August 2028.
  • Both dates remain pending confirmation via the Official Journal.
  • Preparation — inventory, classification, documentation — should start well before these dates.
  • Conformity assessment processes can take significant time to complete.

The provisional timeline

Certain high-risk AI obligations are provisionally set to begin applying from 2 December 2027, with the broader high-risk regime following from 2 August 2028. These dates are aligned with the European Commission's published timeline as of this update but remain subject to formal confirmation.

Why preparation should start now

Conformity assessment, technical documentation and quality management systems for high-risk AI take significant time to build and cannot be assembled at the last minute. Organisations likely to be affected should begin their AI inventory and risk classification work well ahead of the deadlines, not close to them.

What to prioritise before the deadlines

Build or complete your AI system inventory, classify systems against the Annex III high-risk criteria, and identify which systems will need conformity assessment. This groundwork underpins everything that follows and takes considerably longer than most organisations expect.

Staying current on dates

Because these dates are provisional pending Official Journal confirmation, check for updates periodically rather than treating today's timeline as guaranteed to remain unchanged.

Frequently asked questions

When do high-risk AI obligations under the EU AI Act apply?

Provisionally from 2 December 2027 for certain categories, with the fuller regime from 2 August 2028 — both pending Official Journal confirmation.

Are the high-risk AI deadlines confirmed?

They are provisional and aligned with the European Commission's published timeline, but remain subject to formal confirmation.

Why should preparation start before the deadlines?

Conformity assessment and documentation work takes significant time and cannot be completed at the last minute.

What should organisations prioritise first?

Building an AI system inventory and classifying systems against the Annex III high-risk criteria.

How often should the deadline timeline be checked?

Periodically — since it remains provisional pending confirmation.

Related pages

Sources

Last updated 19 June 2026.