EU AI Act Art.12: Record-keeping (logs)
Article 12 of the EU AI Act binds the operator (see the article). It requires High-risk AI systems shall technically allow for the automatic recording of events (logs) over the lifetime of the system, ensuring. This page states what it requires, who it binds and the evidence to keep. Browsing is free; the conformance kit is USD 499.
Specifics
| Instrument | Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (the EU AI Act), as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 |
|---|---|
| Article | Art.12 |
| Binds | Operator (see the article) |
| Group | High-Risk Classification and Requirements |
| Evidence items | 2 |
| Linked NIST AI RMF controls | 0 |
| Linked ISO/IEC 42001 controls | 1 |
| Last updated |
Who does Art.12 bind?
The article binds the operator (see the article). The Act places each duty on a named party in the value chain, so a system can carry a provider duty and a deployer duty at once. Confirm your own position against the text; this page names the party, it does not rule on your facts.
Applies with the high-risk regime: 2 December 2027 for stand-alone systems listed in Annex III, and 2 August 2028 for AI embedded in regulated products listed in Annex I (Article 113, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/1744). See the full timeline.
What does Art.12 require?
High-risk AI systems shall technically allow for the automatic recording of events (logs) over the lifetime of the system, ensuring a level of traceability appropriate to the intended purpose; logging capabilities for biometric remote-identification AI systems include the period of each use, the reference database against which input data has been checked, the input data for which the search led to a match, and the natural persons involved in the verification.
This is our plain-language statement of the article, not the text of the regulation. Read the article: Art.12 (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 on EUR-Lex).
What evidence should we keep for Art.12?
| Category | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|
| Logging | Logging capability design evidence |
| Logging | Log-retention policy aligned with the intended purpose |
What does a linked control mean here?
A linked control is a NIST AI RMF or ISO/IEC 42001 control that the held rule set records as a topical match, with a confidence and a one-line reason. It does not establish that meeting one requirement satisfies the other, it is not legal advice, and it is not certification. Where no control is recorded, the page says so and does not guess. Sources: the NIST AI RMF and ISO/IEC 42001.
Which NIST AI RMF controls line up with Art.12?
No NIST AI RMF control is recorded as a match for this obligation in the held rule set. It is left unlinked and marked, never guessed.
Which ISO/IEC 42001 controls line up with Art.12?
1 control in the held rule set is recorded as a topical match for this obligation, each with its confidence and reason.
| Control | ISO/IEC 42001 | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
A.6.2.8 | AI system recording of event logs System must technically allow automatic event logging giving traceability over its lifetime. | high |
What does the conformance kit add for Art.12?
The kit renders this obligation into your own role checklist with the evidence register, the linked controls and a CSV export, for USD 499 one off. See what is in the kit or open it.