market surveillance authority
In plain wordsThe government body in each EU country that checks AI systems on the market, investigates complaints, and can order unsafe or unlawful AI to be fixed or withdrawn.
A national authority that monitors products on the EU market and enforces product legislation. Under the EU AI ActEU AI Act, prop. n.: The European Union's law on artificial intelligence, the first broad AI law anywhere: it bans some uses, sets strict checks for risky ones and puts duties on the makers of the biggest AI models., each member state designates at least one market surveillance authority and one notifying authority as its national competent authorities, with a single point of contact. Market surveillance authorities supervise high-risk systemshigh-risk AI system, n.: Under EU law, an AI system used where mistakes could seriously hurt people's safety or rights — in hiring, schooling, loans, policing, borders or products like medical devices — and which must therefore pass strict checks. and transparency obligationstransparency obligations, n.: EU rules requiring that people be told when they are dealing with AI: chatbots must say they are bots, AI-made content must be marked, and deepfakes must be labeled.: they can demand documentation and, under conditions, access to source code; test systems; receive serious incidentserious incident, n.: Under EU AI law, an AI failure that kills or badly injures someone, disrupts vital services, violates fundamental rights or seriously damages property — which the maker must report to authorities quickly. reports and complaints from individuals; order corrective action; restrict, withdraw or recall systems; and impose fines. For AI in regulated products the existing sectoral authority usually acts, and for financial institutions the financial supervisor; under the 2026 Digital OmnibusDigital Omnibus, prop. n.: A European Union package, proposed in 2025, that simplified and delayed parts of its digital rules — above all pushing back the strictest requirements of the EU AI Act by more than a year., AI systems built on a provider's own general-purpose model are supervised by the AI OfficeAI Office, prop. n.: The European Commission's team that oversees the EU AI Act, especially the rules for the largest AI models, and coordinates how the law is applied across Europe. instead.
The market surveillance authority ordered the vendor to withdraw its exam-proctoring system.
Origin
A standard institution of EU product law, consolidated by Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 on market surveillance, which the AI Act applies to AI systems. Member states had to designate their authorities by 2 August 2025.
Usage note
Several member states missed the 2025 designation deadline. For high-risk systems used in law enforcement, migration and border control, or justice and democratic processes — including biometric systems used for those purposes — member states must designate data protection authorities or bodies meeting equivalent independence conditions.
Related
- AI OfficeAI Office, prop. n.: The European Commission's team that oversees the EU AI Act, especially the rules for the largest AI models, and coordinates how the law is applied across Europe.
- EU AI ActEU AI Act, prop. n.: The European Union's law on artificial intelligence, the first broad AI law anywhere: it bans some uses, sets strict checks for risky ones and puts duties on the makers of the biggest AI models.
- notified bodynotified body, n.: An independent testing and certification organization, approved by an EU government, that checks whether certain risky products — including some AI systems — meet the law before they can be sold.
- serious incidentserious incident, n.: Under EU AI law, an AI failure that kills or badly injures someone, disrupts vital services, violates fundamental rights or seriously damages property — which the maker must report to authorities quickly.
- post-market monitoringpost-market monitoring, n.: The duty of an AI system's maker to keep watching how it performs after release, gathering evidence from real use so that problems are found and fixed.
- European Artificial Intelligence BoardEuropean Artificial Intelligence Board, prop. n.: A committee of representatives from every EU country that helps apply the EU AI Act consistently across Europe and advises the European Commission.
Defined in law or standards
EU AI Act (Reg. (EU) 2024/1689), Art. 3(26) and 3(48) ('national competent authority'); Arts. 70 and 74 (data protection authorities Art. 74(8)); Regulation (EU) 2019/1020