Last update: 19 May 2025
Since the AI Act entered into force on the 1st of August, it has become crunch time for Member States to prepare the implementation of the Act. One of the first aspects of national implementation is to designate authorities. This post gives an overview of the national authorities to be designated under the AI Act and what we know about the national implementation plans.*
This resource is a work in progress, and will be updated when new information is available. Please help us ensure the completeness and accuracy of this content by contributing any information you have about the authorities in your area: tekla@futureoflife.org.
*Note: The AI Act has been proposed with possible EEA relevance and is currently under scrutiny by the EEA EFTA for incorporation into the EEA Agreement. Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland are participating in AI Board meetings as observers. For completeness, we’ve included all three EEA EFTA states in the overview.
Three types of authorities in Member States under the AI Act
Member States are required to designate or establish three kinds of authorities as part of the implementation of the EU AI Act.
Market Surveillance Authority
First, a ‘market surveillance authority’ shall carry out activities and take measures known from Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 on market surveillance and compliance of products (Art 3(26)). Thus, this authority builds upon the pre-existing and well-established concept of market surveillance authorities within EU law and will be tasked with ensuring that only products compliant with EU law are made available on the Union market.
Notifying Authority
Second, a ‘notifying authority’ will be the national authority responsible for establishing and performing the procedure for assessment, designation and notification of conformity assessment bodies and for their monitoring (Art 3(19) and Art 28(1)). ‘Conformity assessment bodies’ are bodies that perform third-party conformity assessment activities, including testing, certification and inspection (Art 3(21)).
The notifying authority and the market surveillance authority are collectively referred to as the national competent authorities (Art 3(48)). They must function independently, impartially and without bias, have adequate technical, financial and human resources, as well as the infrastructure to effectively execute their tasks under the AI Act (Art 70(1)&(3)). The Commission will facilitate exchange of experience between national competent authorities (Art 70(7)).
National Public Authority
Third, Member States must identify national public authorities that enforce the respect for fundamental rights obligation in Member States in relation to High-risk AI systems referred to in Annex III. Such authorities should have powers to request and access any documentation created or maintained under the AI Act, when such documentation is necessary to effectively fulfill their mandate within the limits of their jurisdiction (Art 77 (2)).
Wide discretions for Member States
The AI Act gives Member States discretion with regards to the structure and design of these three types of authorities. Accordingly, Member States have proposed or designated authorities that take a range of forms. For example, Spain has established a Spanish Artificial Intelligence Supervisory Agency (AESIA) acting as a single market surveillance authority under the Spanish Department of Digital Transformation. In contrast, Finland has proposed a decentralized model appointing 10 already existing market surveillance authorities, including the Energy Authority, The Transport and Communications Agency, and the Medicines Agency.
Timelines and status of implementation
See our full Implementation Timeline for all key dates and deadlines for the AI Act.
Member States must establish or designate competent authorities by the 2nd of August 2025 (Art 113(b)). As per the date this post was last updated, three Member States have designated both notifying and market surveillance authorities (‘clear’ in the table below). To our knowledge, ten Member States have pending legislative proposals or have appointed one competent authority (‘partial clarity’), whereas 14 Member States have yet to designate or establish any competent authority.
With regards to authorities protecting fundamental rights, Member States were required to publish a list of such authorities by 2 November 2024 (Art 77 (2)). The Commission has published a consolidated list of all identified authorities that is continuously updated. There are currently two Member States, Hungary and Italy, that have not yet designated authorities as per the time this post was last updated.
Table 1: Overall status of National Authorities
| Status (as of date of publication) | National Competent Authorities (Art 28 and Art 70) | Authorities Protecting Fundamental Rights (Art 77) |
|---|---|---|
| Unclear | 14 | 2 |
| Partial clarity | 10 | – |
| Clear | 3 | 25 |
Table 2: Member States and their designated National Authorities
| Member State | National Competent Authorities (Art 28 and Art 70) | Authorities Protecting Fundamental Rights (Art 77) See also Commission consolidated list | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Unclear. An AI Service Desk has been established under the Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications (RTR) to support the implementation of the EU AI Act. The notifying authority and market surveillance authorities have not been appointed. | A list of 19 bodies, covering 8 different areas has been published by Digital Austria. | Austria has established three forums to support its AI policy: a national AI Advisory Board (‘KI Beirat’) composed of experts from research and business; the AI Policy Forum consisting of members from different ministries; and the AI Stakeholders Forum where various stakeholders give input. |
| Belgium | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Federal Public Service of Economy and the Agence du Numérique represented Belgium. | A list of 26 bodies has been published by the Federal Public Service Economy. | Belgium has an Ethics Advisory Council on Data and AI appointed by the Minister of Civil Service and the State Secretary for Digitization. |
| Bulgaria | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Ministry of Electronic Governance represented Bulgaria. | 9 authorities appear in the Commission consolidated list. | |
| Croatia | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Central State Office for the Development of Digital Society represented Croatia. | The Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation has designated 7 public authorities. | |
| Cyprus | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy represented Cyprus. | The Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy have identified a list of 3 public authorities, subject to changes. | |
| Czech Republic | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade represented the Czech Republic. | A list of 2 authorities has been published by the Digital Czech Republic. | The Ministry of Industry and Trade was also in charge of adopting a revised national AI strategy in July 2024. |
| Denmark | Partial clarity. The pre-existing Danish Agency for Digital Government has been designated as coordinating market surveillance authority and single point of contact. A legislative proposal suggests that the Minister for Digitalization can further designate market surveillance authorities. | A list of 7 authorities has been published by the Danish Agency for Digital Government. | A working group representing a range of actors (civil society, industry, public institutions, academia, etc) was established in September 2024. It will convene 3-4 times per year. |
| Estonia | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications represented Estonia. | A list of 3 authorities has been published by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications together with the Ministry of Justice. | |
| Finland | Partial clarity. A draft implementing act from October, 2024, appoints 10 already existing market surveillance authorities (see English overview). The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency will act as the single point of contact. Unclear what body will be notifying authority. | A list of 8 authorities has been published by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland. 2 additional authorities for Åland appear in the Commission consolidated list. | The draft implementing act is being processed in parliament – you can follow the status of the draft act here. |
| France | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Directorate General of Enterprises represented France. | 3 authorities appear in the Commission consolidated list. | |
| Germany | Partial clarity. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the Ministry for Justice are jointly responsible for the implementation of the AI Act. Some sources (here and here) suggest that the Federal Network Agency will be designated as market surveillance authority and that the Federal Accreditation body will be appointed as notifying authority. Competent authorities had not been appointed by law as of September 2024. | 20 authorities appear in the Commission consolidated list. | An implementing act is expected Q1 of 2025. |
| Greece | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024,the Ministry of Digital Governance represented Greece. | A list of 4 authorities has been published by the Ministry of Digital Governance. | |
| Hungary | Partial clarity. According to a government resolution from 14th of May 2025, the Minister for National Economy is responsible for the tasks of the authority for market surveillance and will act as a single point of contact. The resolution further designates the National Accreditation Authority as the notifying authority. | No authorities appear in the Commission consolidated list. | An earlier government resolution from the 30th of September 2024, suggested that an AI Council will be established with powers to issue guidelines and resolutions. Delegates will include representatives from National Media and Infocommunications Authority, the Hungarian National Bank, and the Hungarian Competition Authority. |
| Iceland (EEA) | Unclear (AIA not applicable to EEA yet). In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Mission of Iceland to the EU represented Iceland. | Unclear (AIA not applicable to EEA yet). | |
| Ireland | Partial clarity. According to a government resolution from the 14th of May 2025, the Minister for National Economy is responsible for the tasks of the authority for market surveillance and will act as a single point of contact. The resolution further designates the National Accreditation Authority as the notifying authority. | The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has listed 9 national public authorities. | |
| Italy | Partial clarity. A legislative proposal from May 2024 designates the National Cybersecurity Agency (Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale, ACN) as market surveillance authority with monitoring, inspection and enforcement powers in relation to AI systems. The proposal designates the Agency for Digital Italy (Agenzia per l’Italia Digitale, AgID) as notifying authority. | No authorities appear in the Commission consolidated list. | |
| Latvia | Unclear. The Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM) is responsible for the implementation of the AI Act and has developed a report on the implementation of the AI Act. The report recommends that the Ministry of Economic Affairs be designated as the notifying authority, with the Latvian National Accreditation Bureau acting as the national accreditation body. The report suggests that market surveillance be carried out by 12-14 authorities. | 1 authority appears in the Commission consolidated list, namely the Ombudsman. | |
| Liechtenstein (EEA) | Unclear (AIA not applicable to EEA yet). In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Office for Financial Market Innovation and Digitalisation represented Lichtenstein. | Unclear (AIA not applicable to EEA yet). | |
| Lithuania | Clear. A pending implementing law designates the Innovation Agency as the notifying authority. The proposal designates the Regulatory Communications Authority as an AI market surveillance authority and single point of contact. | A list of 4 authorities has been published by the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation. | Lithuania has launched AI sandbox pilots. |
| Luxembourg | Clear. The National Commission for Data Protection has been designated as competent authority for the implementation of the AI Act. A draft law implementing the AI Act was introduced in December 2024 outlining three notifying authorities: the Luxembourg Accreditation and Surveillance Office; The Luxembourg Agency for Medicines and Health Products; and the Government Commissioner for Data Protection to the State. Further, this law also lays out a range of market surveillance authorities including the Judicial control authority; Financial sector supervisory commission; and the Insurance Commission. | A list of 3 authorities has been published by the Department of media, connectivity and digital policy. | A national AI strategy is expected in the spring of 2025. |
| Malta | Clear. The Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) and the Information Data Protection Commission will jointly serve as market surveillance authorities. Further, the MDIA is designated as a notifying authority together with the National Accreditation Board. | A list of 10 authorities protecting fundamental rights has been outlined. | |
| The Netherlands | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy represented the Netherlands. | A list of 6 institutions were published in coordination by three different ministries. | The Dutch Data Protection Authority and the Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure have published recommendations on an integrated approach to supervision with the AI Act in the Netherlands. |
| Norway (EEA) | Partial clarity. The Norwegian Communications Authority (Nkom) has been designated as the national coordinating supervisory authority. Norway’s national accreditation body, Norsk akkreditering, will be responsible for technical accreditation. | Unclear (AIA not applicable to EEA yet). | The Norwegian Agency for Public and Financial Management has published an extensive report examining different potential governance structures under the AI in June 2024. A Norwegian law implementing the AI Act is expected to come into force in the summer of 2026. AI Norway has been established within the Norwegian Digitalisation Agency (Digdir) with the aim of providing advisory service and connecting key AI players in the public sector, trade, industry, research sector, and academia. |
| Poland | Partial clarity. A pending implementing act establishes a new body, the Committee on Development and Security of AI, as the market surveillance authority and single point of contact. The act designates the Minister of Digitization as notifying authority. | The Ministry of Digitization has published a list of 3 authorities. | The law is expected to be adopted by Q2 2025. |
| Portugal | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Administrative Modernization Agency represented Portugal. | The Ministry of Youth and Modernization released a list of 14 agencies. | |
| Romania | Partial clarity. According to the Romanian national AI strategy from July 2024, a new AI Regulatory Authority will be established with the purpose of fulfilling the tasks of the notifying authority as well as market surveillance authority. The strategy falls under the scope of the Authority for the Digitalization of Romania which was also the authority representing Romania in the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024. | A list of 9 authorities has been published by the Authority for Digitalization of Romania. | |
| Slovakia | Unclear. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatics represented Slovakia. | 2 authorities appear in the Commission consolidated list. | A Standing Commission on Ethics and Regulation of AI (CERAI) was established in 2020. AISlovakia is a neutral, independent non-profit platform facilitating cooperation on AI between academia, employers, government representatives, and representatives of international institutions. |
| Slovenia | Unclear. The Ministry of Digital Transformation is responsible for implementing the AI Act into Slovenian law. As per 12.09, an expert council consisting of Slovenian experts is expected to be established to advise on the implementation. | 10 authorities appear in the Commission consolidated list. | |
| Spain | Partial clarity. The Spanish Artificial Intelligence Supervisory Agency (AESIA) was established in September 2023 as an autonomous agency of the Spanish Department of Digital Transformation.The agency will constitute market surveillance authority and single point of contact. The notifying body has not been designated yet. | A list of 12 authorities has been published by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and of the Civil Service. | |
| Sweden | Unclear. The Swedish Data Protection Authority as well as the Swedish Digitalization Authority have published statements about the implementation of the AI Act. In the AI Board meeting on 10.09.2024, the Ministry of Finance represented Sweden. | 4 authorities appear in the Commission consolidated list. | Sweden has established an AI Council with the aim of strengthening Swedish AI competitiveness. |