The EU AI Act entered into force in August 2024 and applies in phases. Several obligations are already in force, and the general application date remains 2 August 2026.
For most organisations, near-term readiness is centred on: (1) maintaining an inventory of AI systems in use (including embedded AI features in SaaS tools and API integrations), (2) classifying systems against prohibited practices and transparency scenarios, and (3) preparing for Article 50 disclosure and marking requirements where systems interact with people, generate synthetic content, or perform emotion recognition or biometric categorisation.
The Council's 13 March 2026 mandate to streamline parts of the AI Act signals that high-risk timelines may move during 2026, but it does not change the direction of travel for transparency and governance expectations.
Acompli perspective: Build around substance, not calendars: classification, documentation, and transparency controls are the durable work that will survive timeline shifts. A solid AI governance framework, compliance readiness programme, and completed impact assessments are the foundations that hold regardless of shifting dates.