European businesses using AI must navigate multiple overlapping regulations. Understanding how they connect is the first step to efficient, unified compliance.
If your organization develops, deploys, or uses AI systems in the EU, these regulations are relevant to you.
Regulation (EU) 2024/1689
The world's first comprehensive AI regulation. Establishes a risk-based framework governing how AI systems are developed, deployed, and used in the EU.
Key Articles:
Regulation (EU) 2016/679
The General Data Protection Regulation governs the processing of personal data. AI systems that process personal data must comply with both GDPR and the EU AI Act.
Key Articles:
Directive (EU) 2022/2555
The Network and Information Security Directive 2 sets cybersecurity requirements for essential and important entities. AI systems must meet cybersecurity standards.
Key Articles:
Regulation (EU) 2022/2065
The Digital Services Act regulates online platforms and requires transparency about AI-powered content moderation, recommendation algorithms, and advertising systems.
Key Articles:
Many compliance topics are addressed by multiple regulations. Here is how they overlap.
| Topic | EU AI Act | GDPR | NIS2 | DSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risk Assessment | Art. 9 — Risk management for high-risk AI | Art. 35 — DPIA for high-risk processing | Art. 21 — Cybersecurity risk management | Art. 34 — Systemic risk assessment |
| Transparency | Art. 13, 50 — User disclosure of AI interaction | Art. 13-14 — Privacy notice, Art. 22 — Automated decisions | Art. 23 — Incident disclosure | Art. 14, 27 — Algorithm transparency |
| Documentation | Art. 11 — Technical documentation | Art. 30 — Records of processing activities | Art. 21 — Security policies | Art. 15 — Transparency reports |
| Human Oversight | Art. 14 — Human oversight mechanisms | Art. 22 — Right to human review | Not specifically required | Art. 20 — Internal complaint handling |
| Incident Reporting | Art. 62 — Serious incident reporting | Art. 33-34 — Breach notification (72 hours) | Art. 23 — Incident notification (24-72 hours) | Art. 16 — Illegal content notification |
| Supply Chain | Art. 25 — Distributor obligations | Art. 28 — Processor agreements | Art. 24 — Supply chain security | Not specifically addressed |
What every European SMB using AI needs to know about cross-regulation compliance.
An AI chatbot that processes personal data is subject to the EU AI Act (transparency), GDPR (data processing), and potentially the DSA (if on a platform). Do not assess regulations in isolation.
A single risk assessment can address EU AI Act Art. 9, GDPR Art. 35 (DPIA), and NIS2 Art. 21 requirements. Unified documentation reduces effort.
GDPR requires breach notification within 72 hours. NIS2 requires initial notification within 24 hours. The EU AI Act requires serious incident reporting. Track all timelines.
All four regulations address third-party/vendor obligations. If you use AI from vendors (OpenAI, Microsoft, etc.), you need to assess their compliance too.
EU AI Act Art. 4 requires AI literacy. GDPR requires data protection awareness. NIS2 requires cybersecurity training. A unified program is more efficient.
While AktAI focuses on EU AI Act compliance, many of its features address overlapping requirements across regulations.
Generate DPIAs that satisfy both EU AI Act Art. 27 and GDPR Art. 35 requirements in one document.
Learn moreAI system risk assessments that cover EU AI Act classification, data protection impact, and cybersecurity posture.
Learn moreTrack and report incidents across regulation requirements with appropriate timelines for each.
Learn moreAssess AI vendor compliance for EU AI Act, GDPR processor obligations, and supply chain security.
Learn moreStart with the EU AI Act — AktAI helps you inventory AI systems, classify risks, generate documentation, train your team, and close gaps. Everything you need before August 2026.
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