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Chapter I: General Provisions
Chapter II: Prohibited AI Practices
Chapter III: High-Risk AI Systems

Section 1: Classification of AI Systems as High-Risk

Section 2: Requirements for High-Risk AI Systems

Section 3: Obligations of Providers and Deployers of High-Risk AI Systems and Other Parties

Section 4: Notifying Authorities and Notified Bodies

Section 5: Standards, Conformity Assessment, Certificates, Registration

Chapter IV: Transparency Obligations for Providers and Deployers of Certain AI Systems
Chapter V: General-Purpose AI Models

Section 1: Classification Rules

Section 2: Obligations for Providers of General-Purpose AI Models

Section 3: Obligations of Providers of General-Purpose AI Models with Systemic Risk

Section 4: Codes of Practice

Chapter VI: Measures in Support of Innovation
Chapter VII: Governance

Section 1: Governance at Union Level

Section 2: National competent authorities

Chapter VIII: EU Database for High-Risk AI Systems
Chapter IX: Post-Market Monitoring, Information Sharing and Market Surveillance

Section 1: Post-Market Monitoring

Section 2: Sharing of Information on Serious Incidents

Section 3: Enforcement

Section 4: Remedies

Section 5: Supervision, Investigation, Enforcement and Monitoring in Respect of Providers of General-Purpose AI Models

Chapter X: Codes of Conduct and Guidelines
Chapter XI: Delegation of Power and Committee Procedure
Chapter XII: Penalties
Chapter XIII: Final Provisions
Annexes
Annex I
Annex II
Annex III
Annex IV
Annex V
Annex VI
Annex VII
Annex VIII
Annex IX
Annex X
Annex XI
Annex XII
Annex XIII
  • Chapter V: General-Purpose AI Models
  • Section 4: Codes of Practice

Article 56: Codes of practice

Summary

The article describes the role of the AI Office and the Board in overseeing codes of practice. These codes aim to ensure compliance with the AI Act, covering issues like documentation, copyright policy, and systemic risk management including cybersecurity. The AI Office and the Board will involve various stakeholders, monitor the implementation, and evaluate the effectiveness of the codes. Providers can adhere to these codes to demonstrate compliance, and the AI Office will encourage their review and adaptation as needed. 

The summaries are meant to provide helpful explanation but are not legal binding.

1.   The AI Office shall encourage and facilitate the drawing up of codes of practice at Union level in order to contribute to the proper application of this Regulation, taking into account international approaches.

2.   The AI Office and the Board shall aim to ensure that the codes of practice cover at least the obligations provided for in Articles 53 and 55, including the following issues:

(a)the means to ensure that the information referred to in Article 53(1), points (a) and (b), is kept up to date in light of market and technological developments;
(b)the adequate level of detail for the summary about the content used for training;
(c)the identification of the type and nature of the systemic risks at Union level, including their sources, where appropriate;
(d)the measures, procedures and modalities for the assessment and management of the systemic risks at Union level, including the documentation thereof, which shall be proportionate to the risks, take into consideration their severity and probability and take into account the specific challenges of tackling those risks in light of the possible ways in which such risks may emerge and materialise along the AI value chain.

3.   The AI Office may invite all providers of general-purpose AI models, as well as relevant national competent authorities, to participate in the drawing-up of codes of practice. Civil society organisations, industry, academia and other relevant stakeholders, such as downstream providers and independent experts, may support the process.

4.   The AI Office and the Board shall aim to ensure that the codes of practice clearly set out their specific objectives and contain commitments or measures, including key performance indicators as appropriate, to ensure the achievement of those objectives, and that they take due account of the needs and interests of all interested parties, including affected persons, at Union level.

5.   The AI Office shall aim to ensure that participants to the codes of practice report regularly to the AI Office on the implementation of the commitments and the measures taken and their outcomes, including as measured against the key performance indicators as appropriate. Key performance indicators and reporting commitments shall reflect differences in size and capacity between various participants.

6.   The AI Office and the Board shall regularly monitor and evaluate the achievement of the objectives of the codes of practice by the participants and their contribution to the proper application of this Regulation. The AI Office and the Board shall assess whether the codes of practice cover the obligations provided for in Articles 53 and 55, and shall regularly monitor and evaluate the achievement of their objectives. They shall publish their assessment of the adequacy of the codes of practice.

The Commission may, by way of an implementing act, approve a code of practice and give it a general validity within the Union. That implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 98(2).

7.   The AI Office may invite all providers of general-purpose AI models to adhere to the codes of practice. For providers of general-purpose AI models not presenting systemic risks this adherence may be limited to the obligations provided for in Article 53, unless they declare explicitly their interest to join the full code.

8.   The AI Office shall, as appropriate, also encourage and facilitate the review and adaptation of the codes of practice, in particular in light of emerging standards. The AI Office shall assist in the assessment of available standards.

9.   Codes of practice shall be ready at the latest by 2 May 2025. The AI Office shall take the necessary steps, including inviting providers pursuant to paragraph 7.

If, by 2 August 2025, a code of practice cannot be finalised, or if the AI Office deems it is not adequate following its assessment under paragraph 6 of this Article, the Commission may provide, by means of implementing acts, common rules for the implementation of the obligations provided for in Articles 53 and 55, including the issues set out in paragraph 2 of this Article. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 98(2).

Relevant recitals

Other resources

The General-Purpose AI Code of Practice