Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, the Digital Omnibus on AI, entered into force on 27 July 2026. The Official Journal of the European Union published the text on 24 July 2026. The European Parliament and Council adopted the regulation on 8 July 2026, following political agreement on 7 May 2026. It amends three instruments: the EU AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689), Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 on civil aviation safety, and Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery. The regulation is now fully in force with no further legislative steps required.
The Digital Omnibus on AI introduces targeted amendments to Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 to simplify compliance. High-risk AI classification thresholds are adjusted to reduce the number of AI systems subject to the most demanding conformity assessment requirements. Documentation and transparency obligations for AI providers and deployers are streamlined, with additional relief for smaller operators. The regulation extends the timelines within which notified bodies must complete conformity assessments and broadens the scope of regulatory sandboxes for testing AI systems in real-world conditions.
AI system providers targeting EU markets benefit from reduced documentation and testing obligations, particularly those developing systems that previously fell close to the high-risk classification boundary. GPAI model developers gain additional clarity on their obligations and more opportunities to test their models before market release. Small and medium-sized enterprises gain a compliance path distinct from that required of large operators. Deployers using off-the-shelf AI systems without substantially modifying them also see reduced obligations under the amended provisions.
AI systems already on the market before 27 July 2026 should be assessed against the amended classification criteria to determine whether transitional provisions reduce their compliance burden. The Omnibus preserves all prohibitions on unacceptable-risk AI under Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, which have been in force since 2 February 2025. Open questions remain about how national competent authorities will apply revised classification thresholds and how simplified conformity assessment paths interact with existing notified body accreditation procedures.
Licentium advises operators on EU AI Act compliance and on the impact of the Digital Omnibus on AI on existing compliance programmes. Work we undertake includes high-risk classification reviews, conformity assessment preparation, GPAI model governance documentation, regulatory sandbox applications, and jurisdictional compliance mapping for AI products deployed across the EU.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 of the European Parliament and of the Council, 8 July 2026, EUR-Lex