Regulatory sandbox
A regulatory sandbox is a controlled framework, established by a Member State authority, within which AI systems can be developed, tested and validated for a limited time, under regulatory supervision, before being placed on the market. The original deadline for establishing sandboxes was postponed by the Digital Omnibus to 2 August 2027.
The legal basis is Article 57. The sandbox serves a dual purpose: it gives innovative AI developers — including SMEs and startups — the opportunity to test their systems in cooperation with the authority, under limited liability risk, while also helping authorities gain practical experience regulating new technologies. The Digital Omnibus postponed the deadline for establishing sandboxes — relative to the original date — to 2 August 2027, meaning that as of mid-2026 such a framework is not yet available in Hungary or in most Member States. Once available, participation in a sandbox is voluntary and does not substitute for conformity assessment, but it can give participants useful, documented experience to inform their classification decisions.
A Hungarian startup considering development should watch for when a Hungarian regulatory sandbox becomes available — as of mid-2026 this is not yet an option, but it may become one from August 2027.
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- AI OfficeThe AI Office is a Commission body responsible exclusively for the direct supervision, at Union level, of providers of general-purpose AI (GPAI) models. An average Hungarian company should approach the national market surveillance authority, not the AI Office — the AI Office does not act in individual company matters.
- Digital Omnibus on AIThe Digital Omnibus on AI — (EU) 2026/1744 — is a simplification regulation amending the AI Act, published in the Official Journal on 24 July 2026 and in force since 27 July 2026. The grace periods it introduced — such as the delay to the high-risk block and regulatory sandboxes, and the softening of Article 4 — are current law, not a proposal.