EU's High-Risk AI Act Guidelines: Finalization Delayed Until Spring

By Luca Bertuzzi ( January 21, 2026, 14:40 GMT | Insight) -- The European Commission will miss the Feb. 2 legal deadline to finalize AI Act guidelines on classifying high-risk AI systems, opting instead to publish a draft for public consultation later in the month. Final adoption is currently expected in March or April, after delays linked to prioritizing AI Act amendment proposals.The European Commission will not publish the finalized version of the AI Act’s guidelines on categorizing high-risk AI systems on Feb. 2 — as legally required — because the guidance document will undergo a public consultation, MLex has learned.... Prepare for tomorrow’s regulatory change, today MLex identifies risk to business wherever it emerges, with specialist reporters across the globe providing exclusive news and deep-dive analysis on the proposals, probes, enforcement actions and rulings that matter to your organization and clients, now and in the longer term. Know what others in the room don’t, with features including: Daily newsletters for Antitrust, M&A, Trade, Data Privacy & Security, Technology, AI and more Custom alerts on specific filters including geographies, industries, topics and companies to suit your practice needs Predictive analysis from expert journalists across North America, the UK and Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific Curated case files bringing together news, analysis and source documents in a single timeline Experience MLex today with a 14-day free trial.