AI Act: what your Belgian
company needs to do.
The EU AI regulation already applies in Belgium, as in the whole Union. Here is the timeline, what concerns you and where to start, without jargon.
The dates that matter
Since 2 February 2025
Prohibited AI practices are banned and the AI literacy rules apply.
Since 2 August 2025
The rules for general-purpose AI models apply.
From 2 August 2026
Most rules apply, including the transparency obligations (Article 50), and enforcement by the authorities begins.
2 December 2027 and 2 August 2028
After the Digital Omnibus, high-risk obligations are postponed: December 2027 for Annex III systems (hiring, credit, education…), August 2028 for those embedded in regulated products.
Timeline checked on 14 October 2026 with the European Commission's AI Act Service Desk, after the Digital Omnibus entered into force. This content is not legal advice.
Four actions for an SME
Inventory your AI uses
List the AI tools used in the company, including those built into your software.
Classify each use by risk level
Prohibited, high risk, transparency or minimal risk: most SME uses fall into the last two categories.
Train your teams
Teams using AI must understand its limits and risks.
Inform the people you deal with
A chatbot or AI-generated content must be flagged as such.
- Does the AI Act apply to Belgian SMEs?
- Yes. It applies to any organisation that provides or uses an AI system in the Union, whatever its size. Obligations depend mainly on the risk level of the use.
- Does the 2 August 2026 date still stand?
- Yes for most rules, including transparency. High-risk obligations were postponed by the Digital Omnibus to December 2027 or August 2028.
- Does using ChatGPT at work make me concerned?
- You are then a user (deployer) of an AI system. The main obligations are AI literacy for your teams and transparency towards the people concerned.
- Is this page legal advice?
- No. It summarises the official timeline published by the European Commission. For your specific situation, consult a lawyer.
- How can I quickly check my situation?
- AI Act Guardian is a free diagnostic that gives you a first overview of your AI uses.
Check your situation.
AI Act Guardian gives a first overview of your AI uses. Free, no commitment.