The Commission’s draft guidelines of 19 May 2026 set worked examples across all eight Annex III categories. The Annex III classification memo now has an external benchmark. Six fields make the call defensible before the 23 June consultation closes.
AI governance divergence stopped being a forward risk this week. The EU softened its AI Act, the United States normalised CAISI pre-release vetting and seven European tech CEOs called for further simplification. Three signals in seven days reset how compliance roadmaps must plan evidence, vendors and timelines.
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.
