AI Act Documents:
AI Act Explorer

Article 68: Scientific Panel of Independent Experts

Comes into force 2 August 2025, according to Article 113(b)
Related recitals: 151
1. The Commission shall, by means of an implementing act, make provisions on the establishment of a scientific panel of independent experts (the ‘scientific panel’) intended to support the enforcement activities under this Regulation. That implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 98(2).
2. The scientific panel shall consist of experts selected by the Commission on the basis of up-to-date scientific or technical expertise in the field of AI necessary for the tasks set out in paragraph 3, and shall be able to demonstrate meeting all of the following conditions:
(a) having particular expertise and competence and scientific or technical expertise in the field of AI;
(b) independence from any providerprovidermeans a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body that develops an AI system or a general-purpose AI model or that has an AI system or a general-purpose AI model developed and places it on the market or puts the AI system into service under its own name or trademark, whether for payment or free of chargeArticle 3(3) of AI systems or general-purpose AI models;
(c) an ability to carry out activities diligently, accurately and objectively.
The Commission, in consultation with the Board, shall determine the number of experts on the panel in accordance with the required needs and shall ensure fair gender and geographical representation.
3. The scientific panel shall advise and support the AI OfficeAI Officemeans the Commission’s function of contributing to the implementation, monitoring and supervision of AI systems and general-purpose AI models, and AI governance, provided for in Commission Decision of 24 January 2024; references in this Regulation to the AI Office shall be construed as references to the CommissionArticle 3(47), in particular with regard to the following tasks:
(a) supporting the implementation and enforcement of this Regulation as regards general-purpose AI models and systems, in particular by:
(i) alerting the AI OfficeAI Officemeans the Commission’s function of contributing to the implementation, monitoring and supervision of AI systems and general-purpose AI models, and AI governance, provided for in Commission Decision of 24 January 2024; references in this Regulation to the AI Office shall be construed as references to the CommissionArticle 3(47) of possible systemic risks at Union level of general-purpose AI models, in accordance with Article 90;
(ii) contributing to the development of tools and methodologies for evaluating capabilities of general-purpose AI models and systems, including through benchmarks;
(iii) providing advice on the classification of general-purpose AI models with systemic risksystemic riskmeans a risk that is specific to the high-impact capabilities of general-purpose AI models, having a significant impact on the Union market due to their reach, or due to actual or reasonably foreseeable negative effects on public health, safety, public security, fundamental rights, or the society as a whole, that can be propagated at scale across the value chainArticle 3(65);
(iv) providing advice on the classification of various general-purpose AI models and systems;
(v) contributing to the development of tools and templates;
(b) supporting the work of market surveillance authorities, at their request;
(c) supporting cross-border market surveillance activities as referred to in Article 74(11), without prejudice to the powers of market surveillance authorities;
(d) supporting the AI OfficeAI Officemeans the Commission’s function of contributing to the implementation, monitoring and supervision of AI systems and general-purpose AI models, and AI governance, provided for in Commission Decision of 24 January 2024; references in this Regulation to the AI Office shall be construed as references to the CommissionArticle 3(47) in carrying out its duties in the context of the Union safeguard procedure pursuant to Article 81.
4. The experts on the scientific panel shall perform their tasks with impartiality and objectivity, and shall ensure the confidentiality of information and data obtained in carrying out their tasks and activities. They shall neither seek nor take instructions from anyone when exercising their tasks under paragraph 3. Each expert shall draw up a declaration of interests, which shall be made publicly available. The AI OfficeAI Officemeans the Commission’s function of contributing to the implementation, monitoring and supervision of AI systems and general-purpose AI models, and AI governance, provided for in Commission Decision of 24 January 2024; references in this Regulation to the AI Office shall be construed as references to the CommissionArticle 3(47) shall establish systems and procedures to actively manage and prevent potential conflicts of interest.
5. The implementing act referred to in paragraph 1 shall include provisions on the conditions, procedures and detailed arrangements for the scientific panel and its members to issue alerts, and to request the assistance of the AI OfficeAI Officemeans the Commission’s function of contributing to the implementation, monitoring and supervision of AI systems and general-purpose AI models, and AI governance, provided for in Commission Decision of 24 January 2024; references in this Regulation to the AI Office shall be construed as references to the CommissionArticle 3(47) for the performance of the tasks of the scientific panel.