Direct answer
What does Article 56 of the AI Act say about codes of practice for general-purpose AI models?
Your question is about Article 56: codes of practice for general-purpose AI models. That obligation applies today. Whether your system actually falls under it depends on conditions you assess yourself.
You determine this yourself
- Arises for the provider of a general-purpose AI model: it may be invited under paragraph 3 to participate in the drawing up of a code of practice, and under paragraph 7 to adhere to a code of practice.
- Arises for other stakeholders: paragraph 3 names civil society organisations, industry, academia and other relevant stakeholders, such as downstream providers and independent experts, that may support the process.
- Paragraph 7 provides that for providers of general-purpose AI models not presenting systemic risks this adherence may be limited to the obligations provided for in Article 53, unless they declare explicitly their interest to join the full code. A provider without a systemic-risk model therefore does not have to sign up to the systemic-risk part in order to rely on the code.
- Article 56 does not impose a separate obligation on the provider. Paragraphs 3 and 7 speak of inviting, not of requiring, and the obligations themselves remain those of Articles 53 and 55. Not signing is therefore not an infringement of Article 56.
First step: Take and record the decision whether you adhere to a code of practice.
Article 56 of the AI Act covers codes of practice for general-purpose AI models. The AI Office encourages and facilitates the drawing up of codes of practice at Union level, and the AI Office and the Board see to it that those codes cover at least the obligations in Articles 53 and 55. Providers of general-purpose AI models and national competent authorities may be invited to participate in the drawing up; civil society organisations, industry, academia and other stakeholders may support the process. Until 27 July 2026 the Commission could approve a code of practice by implementing act and give it general validity within the Union; Article 1, point (21), of Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 replaced paragraph 6 and removed that power. Since then the Commission assesses whether the codes cover the obligations of Articles 53 and 55 and publishes that assessment. The codes were to be ready by 2 May 2025 at the latest; if no code existed by 2 August 2025, or if the AI Office deems one inadequate, the Commission may lay down common rules by implementing acts for the implementation of Articles 53 and 55. For you this is therefore not a separate duty but a route: a code is a voluntary instrument with which you can demonstrate compliance. This provision concerns the provider of a GPAI model and the provider of an AI system. This provision applies today.
This applies now
Your first actions
- Take and record the decision whether you adhere to a code of practice. Determine per general-purpose AI model whether you adhere to a code of practice, to which version and which chapter, whether under paragraph 7 the obligations in Article 53 suffice for you, and which elaboration of your own you apply for the issues in paragraph 2 where you do not join.
Record this
General interpretation, not legal advice. Checked against Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 and the Digital Omnibus (EU) 2026/1744; the official source remains authoritative.
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