{
  "node_id": "eu-ai-act-sme-startup-provisions",
  "title": "EU AI Act - SME and Startup-Specific Provisions: Reduced Fees, Sandbox Priority, and Proportionate Compliance",
  "domain": "AI Governance & Law",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "last_updated": "2026-04-28",
  "bluf": "EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689) includes multiple provisions specifically designed to reduce the compliance burden on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs, as defined in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC - fewer than 250 employees and annual turnover ≤€50M or balance sheet ≤€43M) and startups, recognising that disproportionate compliance costs could stifle EU AI innovation and favour large incumbents: Article 57(3) requires Member States to give SMEs and startups priority access to regulatory sandboxes; Article 73(3) limits administrative fines for SMEs to lower maximums than those applicable to large enterprises (maximum €15M or 3% of global annual turnover for most violations by SMEs, versus €35M or 7% for violations involving prohibited practices); Article 55(3) requires the Commission to consider the specific interests of SMEs when adopting delegated acts; Recital 91 acknowledges the potential disproportionate impact of EU AI Act obligations on SMEs and instructs authorities to take proportionate enforcement approaches; Article 60(7) reduces fees charged by national competent authorities for EU AI database registration for SMEs; Article 72 provides that Member States shall ensure that regulatory sandboxes are accessible to SMEs without undue financial or administrative barriers; the EU AI Office must publish guidance specifically addressing SME compliance with the EU AI Act's requirements.",
  "paywall": {
    "status": "LOCKED",
    "unlock_cost_usd": "0.01",
    "skyfire_id": "41779894-ece2-4163-9761-b3b1b76e19b0",
    "l402_paywall_url": "https://bidda.com/api/v1/vault/nodes/eu-ai-act-sme-startup-provisions.json"
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  "crosswalks": {
    "_available_keys": [
      "gdpr",
      "iso_27001",
      "nist_csf"
    ],
    "_note": "Full crosswalk values included in vault response"
  },
  "dependencies": [
    "eu-ai-act-2024",
    "eu-ai-act-article-72-ai-regulatory-sandboxes",
    "eu-ai-act-article-71-fines",
    "eu-ai-act-article-73-penalties",
    "eu-ai-act-article-60-eu-database-high-risk-ai",
    "eu-ai-act-article-55-systemic-risk-gpai"
  ],
  "primary_citations_count": 5
}