Brussels softened the AI literacy duty in the Digital Omnibus, from ensuring a sufficient level to supporting its development. But it was not delayed, it has applied since February 2025, enforcement begins this August, and the EU’s skills agenda is turning literacy from a compliance checkbox into a competitiveness lever.
The Council adopted the Digital Omnibus on 29 June, pushing high-risk AI Act obligations to 2027 and 2028. But the transparency and literacy duties that bite in 2026 did not move, and two new bans arrive sooner than the relief.
The Digital Omnibus did not collapse on 28 April; it stopped. Until the next trilogue closes, the AI Act applies on its original schedule and 2 August 2026 is your planning deadline. Four scenarios, one quarterly plan, no parallel roadmaps.
The European Commission missed its 2 February 2026 deadline to publish EU AI Act high-risk guidance. With August 2026 obligations still in force, EU SMEs cannot afford to wait for official clarity before acting.
