EU AI Act delay talks collapse: August 2, 2026 is back on the table
What happened
On April 28, EU Parliament and Council held a 12-hour trilogue session to finalize a deal extending high-risk AI deadlines under the Digital Omnibus. They left without an agreement. The sticking point: whether industries already regulated by sectoral safety law (medical devices, radio equipment, machinery) should face lighter AI Act obligations. The next negotiation window is May 2026.
Why it matters
Companies that were counting on a delay now cannot. If no deal lands before August 2, the original high-risk AI obligations apply in full: no extended deadlines, no simplified documentation rules for SMEs, no grace period.
What to do
Treat August 2, 2026 as your hard deadline. If the Omnibus passes in May, that’s a bonus, not a planning assumption.
The compliance work required (AI system inventory, risk classification, governance documentation) doesn’t change based on which deadline lands. Only the time available does.
→ Full analysis on The First Stride: EU AI Act — the compliance calendar nobody can agree on