Article 33: Notification

Article 33 establishes the formal communication process that transforms a qualified conformity assessment body into an officially recognised notified body. The process involves multiple EU actors:

1. Notifying authority submits notification — After approving a body under Article 29, the notifying authority uses the Commission's NANDO (New Approach Notified and Designated Organisations) electronic notification tool to notify the Commission and all other Member States.

2. Content of the notification — The notification must include: - Full details of the conformity assessment activities the body will perform - The conformity assessment modules covered (e.g., Annex VI or Annex VII procedures) - The AI technologies for which competence is claimed - The relevant accreditation certificate or equivalent documentation

3. Objection period — The Commission and other Member States have one month from notification to raise objections. If an objection is raised, the period extends to two months for consultation. If no objection is raised, or objections are resolved, the notification stands.

4. NANDO identification number — The notified body receives a unique identification number in the NANDO database, which providers reference in their conformity assessment documentation.

5. Start of activities — The notified body may only begin performing conformity assessment activities after the notification, and only if no unresolved objection exists.

Verify the full text on EUR-Lex Article 33.

NANDO (New Approach Notified and Designated Organisations) is the Commission's electronic database of notified bodies across all EU product legislation. Under the AI Act, NANDO serves as:

• The official registry of all notified bodies authorised to perform AI Act conformity assessments.
• The publication channel for notifications, enabling all Member States and the Commission to review new and changed designations.
• The reference tool for providers selecting a notified body — providers can search NANDO by AI technology, module, and Member State.

The NANDO identification number assigned to each notified body must appear in conformity assessment certificates and is referenced in the EU database.

• Article 28 — The notifying authority that submits the notification.
• Article 29 — The application that precedes notification.
• Article 30 — Requirements the body must meet before notification.
• Article 34 — Changes to notifications (scope changes, suspensions, withdrawals).
• Article 43 — Conformity assessment procedures the notified body will carry out.
• Article 113 — Application dates and staged entry into force.

The one-month (extendable to two-month) objection period is a peer-review safeguard. It allows the Commission and any Member State to challenge a notification where they believe the body does not meet Article 30 requirements or where the notification scope is inappropriate.

This mechanism ensures that notified body designations are not purely national decisions but subject to EU-wide scrutiny. In practice, objections are rare in other NLF legislation, but the AI-specific competence requirements of Article 30 may make them more likely during the early years of the AI Act's application.