Art.65
EU AI Act Guide › Chapter VII — Governance › Article 65

Article 65 – Establishment and Structure of the European Artificial Intelligence Board

Governance SME Relevant ~2 min read · 387 words

Article 65 establishes the European Artificial Intelligence Board — the high-level body composed of one representative from each EU member state, chaired by the Commission. The AI Board is the strategic governance layer above the AI Office, providing guidance, facilitating coordination between national authorities, and advising on the Act’s implementation.

✓ Low compliance impact for SMEs

WHAT THE ARTICLE IS ABOUT

The member state-level governance body for EU AI regulation

Article 65 creates the European Artificial Intelligence Board — a body bringing together national representatives to ensure consistent application of the Act across the EU, advise the Commission, and coordinate between member states on cross-border AI issues. It sits above national competent authorities but works with the AI Office rather than replacing it.

WHAT IT SAYS

One representative per member state, Commission chair, independent operation

  • The AI Board is established and composed of one high-level representative from each member state’s national competent authority
  • The European Data Protection Supervisor participates as an observer
  • The Commission chairs the Board and provides its secretariat through the AI Office
  • The Board operates independently but cooperates closely with the AI Office
  • It adopts its rules of procedure, which are published
  • The Board may invite external experts and observers to attend its meetings
  • It may establish sub-groups for specific tasks and issues
  • Decisions are taken by simple majority unless otherwise specified
  • The Board’s work is transparent — agendas and minutes are published where appropriate

WHO IS AFFECTED

National competent authorities and the Commission primarily

  • National competent authorities — their senior representatives sit on the Board
  • The European Commission — chairs and provides secretariat through the AI Office
  • The European Data Protection Supervisor — observer member
  • Businesses indirectly — the Board’s decisions on consistent interpretation affect how all authorities apply the Act

WHAT IT MEANS FOR SMES

Background governance that shapes the regulatory environment

  • The AI Board directly affects SMEs through its coordination function — it works to ensure that a business operating across multiple member states faces consistent interpretation of the Act’s requirements rather than 27 different national approaches
  • Board decisions on interpretation and application are published and should be monitored — they provide insight into how authorities are thinking about contested compliance questions
  • The Board’s work on standardisation and guidelines feeds into the practical compliance tools that SMEs rely on
  • If you engage in multi-country AI deployment, the Board’s coordination role is particularly relevant — it is the mechanism intended to prevent regulatory fragmentation

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