Bundesnetzagentur takes on key role in implementation of AI Act
Year of issue 2026
Date of issue 2026.07.29
The Bundesnetzagentur will take on a key role, effective immediately, in the implementation of the European AI Act in Germany. Its new powers are set out in the German Act on the market surveillance and support of innovation of artificial intelligence (KI-MIG), which enters into force today. Under the law, the Bundesnetzagentur becomes the market surveillance authority, single point of contact and point for complaints for the AI Act.
"The AI Act is a milestone for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in Europe,"
said Klaus Müller, President of the Bundesnetzagentur. "In its new role, the Bundesnetzagentur will ensure security and protection of basic rights as well as promoting innovation. We see ourselves as an enabler and point of contact for the whole AI ecosystem. Our goal is to create a trusted environment for the development and use of AI systems."
New roles and responsibilities
The Bundesnetzagentur will take on a variety of tasks as the market surveillance authority. It will monitor compliance with the AI Act by AI systems in radio equipment and generally by AI systems deployed in particularly sensitive areas, such as certain AI systems in workers’ management, critical infrastructure and the education sector. In the areas under its responsibility, the Bundesnetzagentur will also monitor compliance with transparency obligations and prohibited AI practices.
The central Coordination and Competence Centre at the Bundesnetzagentur will support the competent market surveillance authorities and notifying authorities in complex decisions and coordinate their work. The Bundesnetzagentur will involve civil society, business and academia in its new tasks.
The Bundesnetzagentur will also act as the single point of contact for questions on the AI Act and will coordinate work with other European authorities. As the central point for complaints, it will receive and process complaints about breaches of the AI Act and, where necessary, pass them on to the relevant authorities.
Supporting innovation and AI regulatory sandboxes
The Bundesnetzagentur is proactively supporting innovation in the field of artificial intelligence. At its core, this involves the establishment of an AI regulatory sandbox at the Bundesnetzagentur that permits small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in particular, to develop, train, test and validate innovative AI systems in a controlled environment. AI sandboxes offer regulatory support to define individual requirements, identify risks and work out corrective measures, helping innovative AI systems to be launched on the market more quickly.
Another key instrument is the AI Service Desk, which is already offering organisations, authorities and other actors – in particular SMEs and start-ups – accessible information and guidance in the implementation of the AI Act. It provides an online tool for an initial estimation of the risk level of AI systems, up-to-date information on European guidelines and codes of practice, and help to build AI literacy.
Hybrid implementation approach
A hybrid approach is being taken to the implementation of the AI Act in which oversight is carried out by the party with the most relevant expertise, avoiding duplication and ensuring a consistent interpretation of the AI Act. In fully harmonised product sectors, the established market surveillance and supervisory authorities, such as the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bafin) in the financial sector and the media authorities of the federal states in the media sector, will remain responsible so that companies keep the contact persons they are already familiar with. The Bundesnetzagentur will coordinate centrally and act as the market surveillance authority at the federal level for product sectors that have so far not been regulated. The federal states may opt to delegate powers to the Bundesnetzagentur for the supervision of AI systems.
The European AI Act
The AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) entered into force on 1 August 2024 and takes a risk-based approach. It sets out a phased application and aims to support the development and use of trustworthy AI systems, enable innovation and minimise risks. The Act addresses companies, authorities, organisations and other players developing or using AI systems. It creates clear rules for actors throughout the AI value chain by defining binding requirements for certain AI applications and creating greater transparency and security in the use of this technology. At the same time, the AI Act makes sure that the administrative and financial burden on companies, especially SMEs and start-ups, is kept to a minimum.
All the Bundesnetzagentur’s information on the AI Act is available at www.bundesnetzagentur.de/1079464 veröffentlicht.
