EU AI Act Compliance Checklist 2026
Everything your SMB needs to do before August 2, 2026. Free, plain-English, no legal team required. Check off each item as you go, or let Complizo automate it.
Free for up to 3 AI systems · No credit card required
Don't do this manually
Complizo automates the entire checklist: AI system inventory, risk classification, and all 6 required compliance documents — generated in minutes, not weeks.
No credit card · No sales call · Pro from $99/month
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the EU AI Act come into full effect?
The main obligations for high-risk AI systems (Annex III) take effect on August 2, 2026. Prohibited AI practices were already enforceable from February 2, 2025. GPAI model obligations (for foundation model providers) applied from August 2, 2025.
Does the EU AI Act apply to SMBs?
Yes. The EU AI Act applies to any organisation that places AI systems on the EU market or uses AI in the EU — regardless of company size. SMBs receive some proportionality considerations (e.g. QMS obligations proportional to organisation size), but the core obligations still apply. Fines can reach €35 million or 7% of global annual turnover.
What is a high-risk AI system under the EU AI Act?
High-risk AI systems are defined in Annex III of the EU AI Act. They include AI used in: hiring and HR decisions, credit scoring and financial access, biometric identification, critical infrastructure, educational access, law enforcement, and border control. Many standard SaaS tools used by SMBs — especially in HR and finance — fall into this category.
What documents does the EU AI Act require?
For high-risk AI systems, the EU AI Act requires: Technical Documentation (Annex IV), a Risk Management Plan, a Data Governance Policy, Instructions for Use, a Post-Market Monitoring Plan, and an EU Declaration of Conformity. Complizo generates all six automatically.
How long does EU AI Act compliance take for an SMB?
Manual compliance typically takes 4–8 weeks with legal support. Using Complizo, an SMB can complete its initial assessment and generate all required documents in a few hours. The key is starting early — the August 2026 deadline will arrive quickly.