Article 75: Mutual Assistance, Market Surveillance and Control of General-Purpose AI Systems
Article 75 establishes mutual assistance between national market surveillance authorities and the AI Office, and addresses the market surveillance and control of general-purpose AI (GPAI) systems. Where an AI system is based on a GPAI model, the AI Office coordinates enforcement at the model level while national authorities handle the system-level obligations. National authorities must share information upon request, assist each other with cross-border investigations, and may ask the AI Office for support. Conversely, the AI Office may request national authorities to exercise their market surveillance powers when GPAI-related concerns arise at the system level. Always verify on EUR-Lex.
Who does this apply to?
- -National market surveillance authorities cooperating across Member States
- -The AI Office coordinating GPAI model enforcement under Chapter V
- -Providers of GPAI models subject to AI Office inquiries or national follow-up
- -Providers of high-risk AI systems with cross-border presence requiring multi-authority coordination
Scenarios
A high-risk AI hiring system built on a GPAI foundation model exhibits discriminatory outputs in three Member States. The French market surveillance authority identifies the issue first.
The AI Office identifies during a GPAI model evaluation that a systemic risk could materialise at the application level (e.g., a GPAI model prone to generating harmful medical advice when integrated into health AI systems).
Mutual assistance between authorities (plain terms)
Article 75 creates a cooperation backbone for cross-border AI enforcement:
- National market surveillance authorities must share information with authorities in other Member States upon request, including documentation, test results, and compliance assessments
- When a non-compliant AI system is identified in one Member State but the provider is established in another, authorities must assist each other with investigations and corrective measures
- The AI Office acts as a coordination hub — it may mediate between national authorities and provide technical expertise
- Authorities must respond to mutual assistance requests within a reasonable time and may refuse only on duly justified grounds (e.g., national security, pending criminal investigation)
GPAI-specific market surveillance
Article 75 addresses the dual-layer enforcement challenge unique to GPAI:
- Model level: The AI Office is the competent authority for GPAI model obligations under Chapter V (Articles 51–56)
- System level: National market surveillance authorities retain competence for AI systems built on GPAI models
- When a system-level non-compliance originates in the model (e.g., a GPAI model's training data bias flowing into the high-risk system), the AI Office and national authorities must coordinate
- The AI Office may request national authorities to exercise their Article 74 powers (access documentation, test systems, require corrective actions) when GPAI-related concerns surface at the system level
How Article 75 connects to the rest of the Act
- Article 74 — Market surveillance framework and authority powers that Article 75 coordinates across borders.
- Article 76 — Supervision of real-world testing, which may trigger cross-border mutual assistance.
- Article 51–56 — GPAI model obligations enforced by the AI Office.
- Article 64 — AI Board establishment, coordinating governance across Member States.
- Article 101 — GPAI-specific fines enforced by the AI Office.
- Article 99 — National penalties for system-level non-compliance.
- Article 113 — Application dates and staged entry into force.
Recitals (preamble) on EUR-Lex
The recitals in the consolidated AI Act on EUR-Lex address the need for cross-border cooperation (given AI systems are often deployed across multiple Member States) and the division of competence between the AI Office and national authorities for GPAI-related enforcement. Consult the official preamble on EUR-Lex for the legislative intent.
Compliance checklist
- Identify all Member States where your AI system or GPAI model is available — anticipate multi-authority scrutiny.
- Designate an internal point of contact for mutual assistance requests from foreign market surveillance authorities.
- If your system integrates a GPAI model: document the model-system boundary clearly so that authority requests can be routed appropriately.
- Maintain documentation packages ready for cross-border sharing upon authority request (Article 74 + Article 75).
- Coordinate with your authorised representative (Article 22) in each relevant Member State.
- For GPAI providers: prepare for AI Office inquiries that may be triggered by national authority reports under Article 75.
Map cross-border obligations—start the free assessment.
Start Free AssessmentRelated Articles
Article 74: Market Surveillance and Control of AI Systems in the Union Market
Article 76: Supervision of Testing in Real-World Conditions by Market Surveillance Authorities
Article 64: European Artificial Intelligence Board
Article 99: Penalties for AI Act Infringements
Article 101: Fines for Providers of General-Purpose AI Models
Article 113: Entry into Force and Application Dates
Frequently asked questions
Who enforces GPAI rules — national authorities or the AI Office?
The AI Office enforces GPAI model obligations under Chapter V (Articles 51–56). National market surveillance authorities enforce system-level obligations. Article 75 coordinates between the two when a system's non-compliance originates in the GPAI model layer.
Can a national authority refuse a mutual assistance request?
Only on duly justified grounds — e.g., national security or pending criminal proceedings. The requesting authority and the AI Office must be notified of the refusal and its reasons.
How does Article 75 affect providers with a cross-border presence?
Providers operating in multiple Member States should expect coordinated enforcement. A non-compliance finding in one country can trigger information sharing and follow-up investigations in others through the mutual assistance framework.