Commission guidelines of 4 February 2025 interpret the AI Act's prohibitions — harmful manipulation, social scoring and real-time remote biometric identification, among others — in force since 2 February 2025.
What changed
On 4 February 2025 the European Commission published guidelines on prohibited AI practices under Regulation (EU) 2024/1689. They interpret the prohibitions that have applied since 2 February 2025 — covering practices such as harmful manipulation, social scoring and real-time remote biometric identification, among others — to support consistent, effective and uniform application across the EU. The guidelines are non-binding; authoritative interpretation rests with the Court of Justice.
Why it matters
The prohibitions are the AI Act's only outright bans and carry its highest penalty tier, and they already apply. These guidelines are the Commission's own reading of where the lines sit — the reference point any prohibited-practice assessment, and any market-surveillance discussion, starts from.
Who is affected
Teams whose systems touch behavioural influence, scoring, or biometric analysis — including deployers who bought such capabilities from vendors, since the prohibitions attach to use as well as supply.
Rolescompliance teamslegal teamsAI governance leadsproduct leads
OrganisationsAI providersAI deployers
What to check next
- Screen your AI portfolio — bought as well as built — against the prohibited-practice categories as interpreted in the guidelines
- Document a per-system conclusion, including the borderline calls and the reasoning
- Review vendor contracts for systems with manipulation, scoring or biometric capabilities against the guidelines' reading
- Prepare to revisit assessments as the guidelines evolve — the Commission has said they will be updated with practical experience
Key dates
- 2025-02-02Prohibitions apply
- 2025-02-04Guidelines published
Source. European Commission — guidelines on prohibited AI practices ↗
Document: Commission guidelines on prohibited AI practices (AI Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689)
Verified by Trusq against this source on 4 Jul 2026. Trusq publishes only what it can trace to an official source; the source text prevails. Not legal advice.
Document: Commission guidelines on prohibited AI practices (AI Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689)
Verified by Trusq against this source on 4 Jul 2026. Trusq publishes only what it can trace to an official source; the source text prevails. Not legal advice.