---
title: "EU publishes first AI Act standard, EN 18286 for quality management"
description: "The European Commission published EN 18286:2026, the first harmonised standard supporting the EU AI Act, in the Official Journal."
author: Graham
date: 2026-10-19
url: https://powerofai.ca/news/2026-10-19-eu-ai-act-first-standard-en-18286
---

# EU publishes first AI Act standard, EN 18286 for quality management

The European Commission published EN 18286:2026, the first harmonised standard supporting the EU AI Act, in the Official Journal.

October 19, 2026 · Government

The European Commission published EN 18286:2026, the first harmonised standard supporting the EU AI Act, in the Official Journal. It sets out a quality management system for companies that build high-risk AI systems, such as AI used in hiring, education or credit decisions. Companies that follow it are presumed to meet the AI Act’s quality management rules in Article 17. It is designed to sit on top of existing standards such as ISO/IEC 42001 and ISO 9001. The high-risk rules apply from December 2027 or August 2028, and more standards are expected.

**Why it matters to you:** Any business that sells AI tools into Europe, including Canadian companies, now has an official checklist to work from instead of guessing what the law requires.

Source: [European Commission](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/first-harmonised-standard-supporting-ai-act-published-official-journal)

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