Guides · Article 50 · EU AI Act
The final Code of Practice on AI content marking: what it covers
On 10 June 2026 the European Commission published the final Code of Practice on marking and labelling of AI-generated content — the voluntary code drafted by independent experts to help providers and deployers implement the transparency obligations in Article 50(2), 50(4), and 50(5) of the EU AI Act.
This update summarizes what the final code covers and how teams are using it. The code is voluntary; the underlying Article 50 obligations are not.
What the final code contains
The published code is organised in two sections that track Article 50's provider/deployer split:
- Section 1, for providers: rules for the marking and detection of AI-generated and manipulated content — the machine-readable marking duty in Article 50(2).
- Section 2, for deployers: rules for labelling deepfakes and AI-generated or manipulated text published to inform the public — the disclosure duties in Article 50(4).
Voluntary code, mandatory obligations
The Commission's page is explicit on the legal posture: adherence to the code is voluntary, but the transparency requirements under Article 50 of the AI Act are legal obligations. The Commission and the AI Board have confirmed the code is an adequate voluntary tool to demonstrate compliance with those transparency obligations — signatories can point to the code as evidence of how they comply, while non-signatories remain free to demonstrate adequate alternative measures of their own.
In practice that makes the code a reference document even for teams that never sign it: it shows what an adequate implementation of marking and labelling can look like in the Commission's eyes.
What teams do with it
- Read the section that matches your role — providers on marking and detection, deployers on labelling.
- Compare your current marking or labelling approach against the code's rules and note the gaps.
- Decide with counsel whether signing, following without signing, or documenting alternative measures fits your situation.
- Fold the outcome into your Article 50 documentation pack so the reasoning is on record.
Common questions
Do I have to sign the Code of Practice to comply with Article 50?
No. The Commission describes adherence as voluntary while the Article 50 transparency requirements remain legal obligations. Signing is one way to evidence compliance; adequate alternative measures are another. Which posture fits your business is a question for qualified counsel.
Sources
Drafted with AI assistance against the EUR-Lex Article 50 text; edited and fact-checked by Matthew Anglim.
See what may apply to your business
Answer seven quick questions for a free, automated indication of which Article 50 obligations appear likely to apply to your business.