Prague – Czech companies will be unable to meet the requirements of the European Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act by next year. Consequently, the Czech Republic has proposed a two-year postponement of the regulation’s implementation to the European Commission (EC) and is exploring options for simplification, as stated by government commissioner for AI Jan Kavalírek (TOP 09) in an interview with ČTK. Kavalírek aims to finalize the national AI law, which will incorporate the European regulation, by September and plans to engage in discussions with the opposition. Vice President of the Confederation of Industry and Transport Milena Jabůrková expressed to ČTK that she believes the Czech Republic is lagging in its implementation of the AI Act. The European Union passed the AI Act in the first half of last year, with full enforcement scheduled for August 2, 2026.
“The AI Act’s requirements are highly complex, new, and demanding. Companies indicate they will not be able to comply by next year,” Kavalírek pointed out. He added that not all documents pertaining to the AI Act are finalized. Kavalírek mentioned that the Vice President of the European Commission Henna Virkkunen acknowledged that if the EC fails to prepare the accompanying regulations on time, she is open to discussing a delay in the implementation of certain sections of the act. “If a consensus can be reached within the EU, it would greatly enhance our competitiveness and mitigate the risk of stifling innovations,” Kavalírek stated. Representatives from France, Poland, Denmark, and Estonia have shown willingness to consider the Czech proposal, according to Kavalírek.
Kavalírek emphasized that the Czech Republic does not intend to impose any additional requirements on the European AI Act. The objective is to create optimal conditions for AI development within the Czech Republic. “We want only the existing requirements of the AI regulation to apply. We see no need to introduce any national specifics,” he asserted. The law should also be formulated in a way that is acceptable to the political landscape following the parliamentary elections this autumn, Kavalírek stated.
Jabůrková noted that the Czech Republic has fallen behind in executing the AI Act. “It is embarrassing because we negotiated it during the Czech presidency and promoted its significance, yet we are not demonstrating the same commitment to implementation at home,” she said. “However, the responsibility cannot solely rest on the Minister of Industry and Trade, who is making efforts; the entire government, particularly the Ministry of Finance, must engage in the implementation process,” she added. A stable environment is crucial for Czech companies to advance in AI development. (June 11)
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