The AI Act relies on a two-tier institutional architecture – national and European – to ensure a harmonized application of the regulations across the Union.
1. At the national level: supervisory authorities
Each member state must designate national competent authorities responsible for:
- Monitoring the market and controlling AI systems,
- Verifying compliance assessments,
- Designating and supervising notified bodies authorized to conduct audits,
- Enforcing sanctions in cases of non-compliance.
The designation of the national competent authority is expected by August 2025. This authority will need to closely collaborate with the European AI Office to ensure coherence of implementation.
2. At the European level: centralized management
Within the European Commission, the EU AI Office serves as the main institution for oversight, especially regarding general-purpose AI models.
It relies on two advisory bodies:
The AI Board, which brings together member states, civil society, economic actors, and academics, to inform regulatory directions and integrate a diversity of viewpoints.
The Scientific Advisory Panel, composed of independent experts, tasked with identifying systemic risks, issuing technical recommendations, and contributing to the definition of classification criteria for models.
3. Objective
This system aims to ensure rigorous, transparent, and scientifically-based governance to support businesses and citizens within an ever-evolving regulatory framework.
The following diagram illustrates AI Governance at the supranational, national and corporate level (Novelli et al., 2024).
