Law explained

AI Act fines for transparency violations: the real numbers, without the fear-mongering

Compliance marketing loves scary numbers. Here are the accurate ones, in context.

The ceiling (Art. 99(4))

Non-compliance with Article 50 transparency obligations can draw administrative fines up to €15,000,000 or 3% of total worldwide annual turnover, whichever is higher. That’s the maximum, designed to scale to big tech — not the starting tariff for a shop.

What the law says about proportionality

Art. 99 requires each case to consider the nature, gravity and duration of the violation, whether it’s intentional or negligent, actions taken to mitigate, and — explicitly — the size, interests and economic viability of SMEs. Member states must lay down proportionate penalty regimes; enforcement bodies were still standing up capacity through 2025–26.

Realistic reading for a small business

The plausible first-contact scenario isn’t a €15M fine; it’s a complaint, an inquiry letter, an order to fix — where “we implemented the duties on [date], here’s the record” is the difference between a closed file and an escalation. That documented-record scenario is exactly what our Kit’s PDF exists for.

The honest bottom line

The duties are cheap to meet; the fine ceiling is real but remote; the middle scenario — time lost to an inquiry you could have pre-empted with a €49 fix — is the one worth pricing. No panic. Just handle it.

Sources are cited in place; official text: Regulation (EU) 2024/1689. This guide is a technical explanation, not legal advice.