This study seeks to provide an overview of current progress in the designation of national competent authorities, and to analyse how national governance frameworks are being developed. The study shows that one week prior to the deadline, the majority of member states were behind schedule. A few draft governance frameworks, some of them unofficial, were announced. These present a centralised architecture for notifying authorities, but a fragmented one for market surveillance, with most authorities already identified.

How should Europe enforce data protection when AI chatbots operate across borders? In a notable move, Berlin’s Data Protection Authority invoked the Digital Services Act (DSA) Article 16 to ask Apple and Google to delist DeepSeek, the famous Chinese AI chatbot, over alleged GDPR-breaching transfers of EU users’ data to China. The request uses a tool designed for illegal online content to tackle a complex AI data-flow issue—raising big questions for AI governance.

How do the AI Act and DSA collide in shaping Europe’s AI future? This paper uncovers hidden gaps in systemic risk oversight, exposing costly “over-assessment” that stifles innovation. By calling for smarter, simplified regulation, it argues for a path that safeguards rights without derailing AI progress in the EU. The analysis offers a blueprint for balancing accountability with competitiveness in the digital era.

This analysis explores the EU AI Continent Action Plan’s approach to implementing the AI Act within a complex multi-level governance system. The paper assesses how simplification efforts can influence consistency, legal clarity, and the broader goal of establishing Europe as a global AI leader.