The EU has adopted its first substantive amendment to the AI Act. Regulation (EU) 2026/1744, commonly referred to as the AI Omnibus, was published in the Official Journal on 24 July 2026 and entered into force on 27 July 2026. While the legislation postpones certain aspects of the AI Act’s compliance timetable, it would be a mistake for organisations to view the Omnibus as a broad pause on AI regulation in Europe.
High-Risk AI Deadlines Pushed Back
The most significant change is the deferral of obligations applying to many high-risk AI systems. The application date for stand-alone high-risk systems under Annex III, including AI used in employment, education, credit assessment, law enforcement and critical infrastructure, moves from 2 August 2026 to 2 December 2027.