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ARTICLE · 17 JUNE 2026

EU AI Act: Commission Draft Guidelines On Classification Of High-risk AI Systems

The European Commission has released draft guidelines clarifying how AI systems should be classified as high-risk under the EU AI Act, while simultaneously extending key compliance deadlines by up to two years. These guidelines provide detailed interpretative guidance on classification thresholds, the role of human oversight, and how complex or interconnected AI systems should be assessed for regulatory purposes.

IrelandMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

The European Commission has published long-awaited draft guidelines on the classification of high-risk AI systems under the EU AI Act (the “AI Act”) (the “Draft Guidelines”).

On 7 May 2026, shortly before the publication of the Draft Guidelines, as part of a wider agreement in relation to the EU Digital Omnibus Package, the European Commission agreed in principle to substantially defer the compliance deadlines for obligations under the AI Act relating to high-risk AI systems. The revised timeline has been confirmed in the Draft Guidelines:

AI system category Original deadline New deadline
Annex III systems (AI systems in any of the following areas: biometrics; critical infrastructure; education and vocational training; employment and workers; access to essential services; law enforcement; migration; asylum and border control; and the administration of justice and democratic practices)

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