TL;DR for the DPO
On 29 June 2026 the EU Council approved the AI Act amendments in the Digital Omnibus package (Commission proposal of November 2025). Stated goal: streamline and simplify certain AI rules. The text now moves to negotiations with the European Parliament: it is NOT law yet.
The three points that matter
- It is not yet applicable law: Council approval is one step of the legislative process. Until final adoption and publication, the AI Act as it stands (Reg. EU 2024/1689) applies.
- Operational deadlines do not move by themselves: the Article 50 transparency obligations apply from 2 August 2026. Postponing preparation while betting on simplifications means risking being exposed.
- The direction is clear: simplifying obligations, not dismantling the framework. The risk-based structure (prohibited practices, high-risk, transparency) stays: preparing now means building on foundations that remain valid.
What to do now, in practice
Stay the course with clients: 1) inventory the AI systems in use (AI systems register); 2) classify each system's risk; 3) prepare the Art. 50 transparency notices for chatbots and generated content. These duties are not removed by the Digital Omnibus. In DPO Workspace you find all three documents ready in the generator's new AI Act section.
Why it matters for your clients
Many companies will read 'simplification' as 'postponement' and arrive unprepared in August. For a DPO this is the moment to take a position: explain what stays, what may be eased, and why starting now still pays. The competitive edge is not waiting for the perfect text - it is already having the register, the classification and the notices when others start looking for them.
Official source:Council of the European Union - approval of AI Act amendments (Digital Omnibus package), 29 June 2026Looking for a workspace for your DPO work?
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