Digital Omnibus
In plain wordsA European Union package, proposed in 2025, that simplified and delayed parts of its digital rules — above all pushing back the strictest requirements of the EU AI Act by more than a year.
The European Commission's package of 19 November 2025 for simplifying EU digital law, made up of two proposals: a 'Digital Omnibus on AI' amending the EU AI ActEU AI Act, prop. n.: The European Union's law on artificial intelligence, the first broad AI law anywhere: it bans some uses, sets strict checks for risky ones and puts duties on the makers of the biggest AI models., and a broader Digital Omnibus amending the General Data Protection RegulationGeneral Data Protection Regulation, prop. n.: The European Union's main privacy law, in force since 2018, which controls how personal information is collected and used — including to train and run AI systems., the ePrivacy rules, the Data Act and cybersecurity incident reporting. The AI part became Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 of 8 July 2026, in force from 27 July 2026. It postpones obligations for high-risk systemshigh-risk AI system, n.: Under EU law, an AI system used where mistakes could seriously hurt people's safety or rights — in hiring, schooling, loans, policing, borders or products like medical devices — and which must therefore pass strict checks. to 2 December 2027 (Annex III uses) and 2 August 2028 (products under Annex I); turns the AI-literacy duty into a duty to support literacy; lets providers and deployers process sensitive personal data to detect and correct bias; extends relief for small firms to small mid-cap companies; makes the AI OfficeAI Office, prop. n.: The European Commission's team that oversees the EU AI Act, especially the rules for the largest AI models, and coordinates how the law is applied across Europe. the exclusive supervisor of AI systems built on a provider's own general-purpose AI modelgeneral-purpose AI model, n.: The EU's legal name for the large, adaptable AI models behind chatbots and similar tools: models that can turn their hand to many different jobs and be built into many other products. and of AI in very large online platforms; moves the deadline for national sandboxesAI regulatory sandbox, n.: A supervised testing ground where companies can try out new AI with regulators watching and advising, before the product faces the full weight of the rules. to 2 August 2027; and adds two prohibited AI practicesprohibited AI practices, n.: Uses of AI that the EU bans outright as too harmful — such as manipulating people, social scoring, and most live facial recognition by police in public places., applying from 2 December 2026, covering non-consensual intimate imagery and child sexual abuse material.
After the Digital Omnibus, our Annex III compliance deadline moved to December 2027.
Origin
Part of the Commission's 2025 simplification agenda, which followed Mario Draghi's September 2024 report on European competitiveness and its criticism of the regulatory burden on firms. The AI omnibus passed unusually fast — the Parliament voted on 16 June 2026 and the Council on 29 June — so that the delay took effect before the original 2 August 2026 deadline for high-risk obligations.
Usage note
Supporters call it overdue repair, since harmonised standardsharmonised standards, n.: Official European technical standards, written at the EU's request, that companies can follow to show their AI systems meet the law, instead of proving it from scratch. and guidance were not ready in time; critics call it deregulation under industry and US pressure. As of mid-October 2026 the separate data omnibus — which would, among other things, recognize AI development as a legitimate interest under the GDPR — had not yet reached trilogue negotiations. 'Omnibus' is EU jargon for one act amending several laws.
Related
- EU AI ActEU AI Act, prop. n.: The European Union's law on artificial intelligence, the first broad AI law anywhere: it bans some uses, sets strict checks for risky ones and puts duties on the makers of the biggest AI models.
- high-risk AI systemhigh-risk AI system, n.: Under EU law, an AI system used where mistakes could seriously hurt people's safety or rights — in hiring, schooling, loans, policing, borders or products like medical devices — and which must therefore pass strict checks.
- AI OfficeAI Office, prop. n.: The European Commission's team that oversees the EU AI Act, especially the rules for the largest AI models, and coordinates how the law is applied across Europe.
- General Data Protection RegulationGeneral Data Protection Regulation, prop. n.: The European Union's main privacy law, in force since 2018, which controls how personal information is collected and used — including to train and run AI systems.
- harmonised standardsharmonised standards, n.: Official European technical standards, written at the EU's request, that companies can follow to show their AI systems meet the law, instead of proving it from scratch.
- Brussels effectBrussels effect, n.: The way European Union rules end up shaping products and laws worldwide, because global companies often find it simpler to follow the strictest big market's rules everywhere.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 July 2026 amending Regulations (EU) 2024/1689, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2023/1230 as regards the simplification of the implementation of harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Digital Omnibus on AI). eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2026/1744/oj
Defined in law or standards
Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 (Digital Omnibus on AI), amending Reg. (EU) 2024/1689
Mentioned in
EU AI ActEU AI Act, prop. n.: The European Union's law on artificial intelligence, the first broad AI law anywhere: it bans some uses, sets strict checks for risky ones and puts duties on the makers of the biggest AI models., high-risk AI systemhigh-risk AI system, n.: Under EU law, an AI system used where mistakes could seriously hurt people's safety or rights — in hiring, schooling, loans, policing, borders or products like medical devices — and which must therefore pass strict checks., AI literacyAI literacy, n.: Knowing enough about AI to use it sensibly and judge it critically: what it can and cannot do, how it goes wrong, and how it affects people., AI OfficeAI Office, prop. n.: The European Commission's team that oversees the EU AI Act, especially the rules for the largest AI models, and coordinates how the law is applied across Europe., AI regulatory sandboxAI regulatory sandbox, n.: A supervised testing ground where companies can try out new AI with regulators watching and advising, before the product faces the full weight of the rules., AI-generated content labelingAI-generated content labeling, n.: Marking text, images, audio or video as made by AI — with a visible notice, hidden data in the file, or both — so that people and platforms can tell synthetic content from real., Brussels effectBrussels effect, n.: The way European Union rules end up shaping products and laws worldwide, because global companies often find it simpler to follow the strictest big market's rules everywhere., General Data Protection RegulationGeneral Data Protection Regulation, prop. n.: The European Union's main privacy law, in force since 2018, which controls how personal information is collected and used — including to train and run AI systems., harmonised standardsharmonised standards, n.: Official European technical standards, written at the EU's request, that companies can follow to show their AI systems meet the law, instead of proving it from scratch., prohibited AI practicesprohibited AI practices, n.: Uses of AI that the EU bans outright as too harmful — such as manipulating people, social scoring, and most live facial recognition by police in public places., transparency obligationstransparency obligations, n.: EU rules requiring that people be told when they are dealing with AI: chatbots must say they are bots, AI-made content must be marked, and deepfakes must be labeled., Digital Services ActDigital Services Act, prop. n.: The EU law that sets rules for online platforms and search engines — how they handle illegal content, explain their recommendation algorithms and manage the risks their services create for society., fundamental rights impact assessmentfundamental rights impact assessment, n.: A check that certain organizations must make before using a high-risk AI system, writing down whose rights it could affect, how, and what they will do to prevent harm., market surveillance authoritymarket surveillance authority, n.: The government body in each EU country that checks AI systems on the market, investigates complaints, and can order unsafe or unlawful AI to be fixed or withdrawn., notified bodynotified body, n.: An independent testing and certification organization, approved by an EU government, that checks whether certain risky products — including some AI systems — meet the law before they can be sold., post-market monitoringpost-market monitoring, n.: The duty of an AI system's maker to keep watching how it performs after release, gathering evidence from real use so that problems are found and fixed.