What happened
The European Data Protection Board and European Data Protection Supervisor issued Joint Opinion 1/2026 on the European Commission's proposed Regulation to simplify implementation of the AI Act ('Digital Omnibus on AI'). The opinion supports EU-level AI regulatory sandboxes and simplified procedures for innovation/SMEs, but calls for direct involvement of national Data Protection Authorities in supervising personal-data processing within sandboxes, and recommends the EDPB be given an advisory/observer role on the European AI Board to ensure regulatory consistency.
Why it matters
This joint opinion carries real legal weight in shaping how the EU's landmark AI Act simplification proposal is ultimately drafted, directly affecting compliance sandboxes, SME exemptions, and the interplay between data protection authorities and AI Act enforcement across all 27 EU member states — a foundational governance question for any organization deploying AI in the EU.
Action needed
Organizations tracking EU AI Act implementation should monitor whether the Commission and co-legislators adopt EDPB/EDPS recommendations on DPA involvement in AI sandboxes, as this will determine the supervisory architecture for compliance going forward.