The Advisory Forum is a new body that will advise the AI Office and AI Board on how the EU AI Act is implemented and applied. It is meant to bring in expertise and perspectives from a wide range of actors, including civil society, researchers, and organisations working with or representing communities most affected by AI-related risks. The goal is to ensure these voices are part of an inclusive and fair policy debate.
In September 2025, the call for expressions of interest to join the new body closed. However, seven months later, the AI Office has still not established the Advisory Forum, and did not share a clear timeline despite our requests. In the absence of a structured and consistent exchange through the Forum, many discussions - such as those concerning prohibited uses of AI, high-risk classification, and fundamental rights obligations - take place primarily between EU institutions and stakeholders who have the know-how and networks to participate in Brussels processes. This risks excluding underrepresented perspectives.
In addition, the lack of the Advisory Forum is a missed opportunity to discuss and stress-test the implications of the AI Omnibus. Instead, this discussion has been limited to “Reality Checks” with a small group of mostly industry representatives and did not include robust consultation with civil society.
The recently adopted EU Civil Society Strategy underscores that meaningful engagement with civil society is a cornerstone of EU policy-making. That is why we urge the EU AI Office to:
- prioritise the establishment of the Advisory Forum;
- provide clarity on the expected timeline and process; and
- develop concrete measures to ensure civil society can meaningfully participate in the implementation and enforcement of the AI Act – beyond the Forum itself.