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AI Act Annex IV: the complete guide to the 9 blocks of technical documentation required by Article 11 for every high-risk AI system.

Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 requires every high-risk AI provider to draw up technical documentation before placing the system on the market and to keep it up to date. The minimum content is set in Annex IV: 9 blocks, ranging from general description to post-market monitoring plan. The documentation must demonstrate compliance with Chapter III, Section 2 (Articles 8 to 15) and be clear enough for national competent authorities and notified bodies to assess. SMEs and start-ups may submit Annex IV information in a simplified form (Art. 11(1)). The documentation must be retained for 10 years after placing on the market under Art. 18(1). AICheck generates the 9 Annex IV blocks in a structured ZIP in 45 minutes.

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€249 one-time payment · 12 PDF documents in ZIP · 45 minutes · 100% in your browser

Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 · Article 11 + Annex IV · 12 documents · 100% browser-side — your data never leaves your machine

The numbers

9 blocks
Annex IV structure: from general description (block 1) to post-market monitoring plan (block 9).
Simplified form
Art. 11(1): SMEs and start-ups may submit Annex IV in a simplified manner using the Commission template.
10 years
Art. 18(1): retention period for technical documentation, QMS documentation, notified-body decisions, EU DoC. From placing on market or putting into service.

The 9 Annex IV blocks, in detail

Annex IV is not a wishlist — it is the minimum content for the technical documentation under Art. 11(1). Each block has its own sub-items. The Commission may amend Annex IV by delegated act under Art. 11(3).

1

General description of the AI system

(a) intended purpose, provider name and version (and relation to previous versions); (b) interactions with hardware/software including other AI systems; (c) software/firmware versions and update requirements; (d) forms in which the system is placed on the market (embedded, downloads, APIs); (e) hardware on which it is intended to run; (f) for component-AI, photographs/illustrations of external features, marking and internal layout; (g) basic description of the user interface to deployer; (h) instructions for use for the deployer.

2

Detailed description of elements and development process

(a) methods and development steps, including pre-trained systems or third-party tools; (b) design specifications — general logic, key design choices, classification choices, optimisation targets, expected output and quality, technical trade-offs; (c) system architecture and computational resources used to develop, train, test, validate; (d) data requirements — datasheets describing training methodologies and data sets, provenance, scope, characteristics, selection, labelling, cleaning; (e) human-oversight measures under Art. 14; (f) pre-determined changes and the technical solutions adopted to ensure continuous compliance with Section 2; (g) validation and testing procedures, metrics for accuracy and robustness, test logs and reports; (h) cybersecurity measures.

3

Monitoring, functioning and control of the AI system

Capabilities and limitations in performance — accuracy for specific persons/groups and overall expected accuracy in relation to intended purpose; foreseeable unintended outcomes and sources of risk to health, safety, fundamental rights and discrimination; human-oversight measures including technical measures to facilitate interpretation of outputs; specifications on input data, as appropriate.

4

Appropriateness of performance metrics

Description of the appropriateness of the chosen performance metrics for the specific AI system, given its intended purpose and the populations on which it is to be used.

5

Risk management system (Art. 9)

Detailed description of the risk management system implemented under Art. 9 — iterative process, risk identification, estimation/evaluation of risks, adoption of risk management measures, testing.

6

Lifecycle changes

Description of relevant changes made by the provider to the system through its lifecycle.

7

Harmonised standards applied

List of harmonised standards applied in full or in part — references published in the Official Journal. Where no harmonised standards applied, detailed description of the solutions adopted to meet Section 2 requirements, including other relevant standards and technical specifications applied.

8

EU declaration of conformity

A copy of the EU declaration of conformity under Art. 47 and Annex V — signed, identifying the provider, the system, the Section 2 requirements, the harmonised standards applied, and any notified-body involvement.

9

Post-market monitoring plan (Art. 72)

Detailed description of the system in place to evaluate the AI system performance in the post-market phase under Art. 72, including the post-market monitoring plan referred to in Art. 72(3). The Commission implementing act with the post-market monitoring plan template is due by 2 February 2026.

Three common mistakes

COMMON MISTAKE

"A textual description of the system is enough for Art. 11"

Annex IV requires 9 distinct blocks, each with its own sub-items. A free-form description does not satisfy the requirement to demonstrate compliance with Section 2 in a clear and comprehensive form (Art. 11(1)). Authorities and notified bodies use the Annex IV structure as a checklist; missing blocks (training data details, performance metrics, harmonised standards, post-market plan) are common reasons for a finding of non-conformity.

COMMON MISTAKE

"SMEs are exempt from Annex IV"

No. SMEs and start-ups may submit the Annex IV information in a simplified manner under Art. 11(1), using the Commission's simplified form. Notified bodies must accept the simplified form for conformity assessment. But the substantive obligation to provide all 9 blocks of information remains.

COMMON MISTAKE

"Annex IV is drawn up once at launch and filed away"

Art. 11(1) — the technical documentation "shall be drawn up before that system is placed on the market or put into service and shall be kept up-to-date". The documentation must be retained for 10 years after placing on the market or putting into service (Art. 18(1)). Substantial modifications under Art. 3(23) require updating Annex IV and may trigger a new conformity assessment under Art. 43(4).

Does the AI Act apply to your system?

Answer these four questions to determine your obligations.

Does your system use machine learning, logic-based, or statistical approaches?
Art. 3(1) — definition of "AI system"
Is the system placed on the EU market or does its output affect persons in the EU?
Art. 2(1) — territorial scope (extraterritorial via 2(1)(c))
Is your system used in any Annex III domain? (employment, credit, education, law enforcement, migration, justice, critical infrastructure, biometrics)
Art. 6(2) + Annex III — high-risk classification
Are you the provider (developer) or the deployer (user) of the system?
Art. 3(3) provider · Art. 3(4) deployer — different obligations

Take the full AI Act risk classification test →

What the ZIP contains

12 PDF documents generated from your inputs. Each cites the article of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 it fulfils.

1

Risk Classification Report

Identifies whether your system is prohibited (Art. 5), high-risk (Art. 6 + Annex III) or subject to transparency obligations (Art. 50).

2

Technical Documentation

The 9 blocks of Annex IV in full: system description, training data, validation, performance metrics, risk management, human oversight. Art. 11 + Annex IV.

3

EU Declaration of Conformity

Signable document conforming to Art. 47 and Annex V.

4

Compliance Calendar

Key application dates: 2 Feb 2025, 2 Aug 2025, 2 Aug 2026, 2 Aug 2027. Art. 113.

5

Conformity Sheet

Executive summary of compliance status for authorities or commercial buyers. Art. 43 procedure.

6

Quality Management System (QMS)

QMS structure covering the 13 aspects required by Art. 17.

7

Deployer Instructions

Document for the entity deploying your system, conforming to Art. 13.

8

Evidence Checklist

Verifiable evidence list, cross-referenced to every Annex IV block.

9

Incident Report Template

Notification protocol conforming to Art. 73 (15 days general / 10 days death / 2 days widespread).

10

AI Literacy Programme

Training plan conforming to Art. 4, in force since 2 February 2025.

11

Post-Market Monitoring Plan

Plan structure required by Art. 72 and integrated into the technical documentation under Annex IV(9).

12

Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment (FRIA)

Template under Art. 27 for public bodies, private entities providing public services, and Annex III 5(b)(c) deployers.

See before you buy — Download a sample dossier (PDF, fictional company) — Real structure, real articles, real format. Fictional data.

Generated from your inputs, in your browser. No data leaves your machine.

What you pay

🧾 AI ACT COMPLIANCE CONSULTANCY
€5,000–€15,000
3–6 months. They explain the obligations to you.
✓ AICHECK
€249
12 documents. 45 minutes. Solves the documentation.

Technical documentation and conformity assessment: two layers

● LAYER 1

Technical documentation — Annex IV

12 documents. 45 minutes. €249. The documentation your system needs before being placed on the market.

∅ LAYER 2

Conformity assessment by notified body

If your system falls under Art. 43(1) (Annex III point 1 biometrics with notified-body route, or Annex I products), you will need third-party conformity assessment. That is a separate process. AICheck does not replace it.

We do not sell audits. We do not sell consultancy. We sell the tool that structures your documentation under Annex IV.

Penalty regime

Article 99 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689. Chapter XII (Penalties) applies from 2 August 2025.

🇪🇺
Non-compliance with prohibited practices (Art. 5)
€35M / 7%

Art. 99(3). Up to €35 million or 7% of total worldwide annual turnover, whichever is higher. For SMEs and start-ups: whichever is lower (Art. 99(6)).

🇪🇺
Non-compliance with operator obligations (high-risk, transparency, deployer)
€15M / 3%

Art. 99(4). Includes failure to draw up technical documentation under Art. 11 + Annex IV. Covers obligations of providers (Art. 16), deployers (Art. 26), authorised representatives (Art. 22), importers (Art. 23), distributors (Art. 24), notified bodies (Art. 31, 33, 34) and transparency under Art. 50.

🇪🇺
Supply of incorrect, incomplete or misleading information
€7.5M / 1%

Art. 99(5). Applies when information provided to notified bodies or national competent authorities is wrong or misleading.

Documenting 5 or more AI systems?

If you operate multiple AI systems and need to document them all under Annex IV, contact us for volume pricing at hello@solidwaretools.com.

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What AICheck guarantees, and what it does not

AICheck produces a document structured under Article 11 and Annex IV of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 from the information you provide. The accuracy, truthfulness and completeness of that information is your responsibility as provider of the AI system.

We guarantee that the document structure follows Article 11 and Annex IV of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 and that the legal references cited are correct as of the last verification date. We do not guarantee that a specific document will be accepted by a market surveillance authority in a given case, nor by a commercial buyer in a procurement process.

AICheck is not legal advice. For specific situations, consult a lawyer or specialised regulatory consultancy.

Frequently asked questions

What does the simplified form for SMEs cover?
Art. 11(1) — SMEs and start-ups may provide the elements of the technical documentation specified in Annex IV in a simplified manner. The Commission establishes a simplified technical documentation form targeted at the needs of small and microenterprises. Where an SME opts for the simplified form, notified bodies shall accept it for the purposes of the conformity assessment. The substantive Annex IV scope is preserved; only the format is lighter.
How long must I retain Annex IV documentation?
Art. 18(1) — for a period ending 10 years after the high-risk AI system has been placed on the market or put into service, the provider keeps at the disposal of national competent authorities: (a) the technical documentation referred to in Art. 11; (b) the QMS documentation referred to in Art. 17; (c) the documentation concerning changes approved by notified bodies, where applicable; (d) decisions and other documents issued by notified bodies, where applicable; (e) the EU declaration of conformity referred to in Art. 47.
What happens to Annex IV when the AI system changes?
Art. 11(1) requires the documentation to be kept up to date. Substantial modifications under Art. 3(23) — changes not foreseen in the initial conformity assessment that affect Section 2 compliance or modify intended purpose — require updating Annex IV and trigger a new conformity assessment under Art. 43(4). Pre-determined changes documented in Annex IV block 2(f) — typically for continuously learning systems — are not substantial modifications.
Is this a subscription?
No. One-time payment. The licence includes 30 days of editing and 10 regenerations. The PDF you download is yours to keep.
Can I request a refund?
Pursuant to Article 16(m) of Directive (EU) 2011/83 on consumer rights, by activating the licence you give express consent to the immediate generation of digital content, waiving the 14-day withdrawal right. Refunds are only accepted in the case of a reproducible technical failure.
What if the regulation changes?
If the regulation changes while your licence is active, you can regenerate the document with the updated version of the generator at no additional cost.
⚠️ Important notice: AICheck is a documentary self-assessment tool, not legal advice nor a third-party audit. The document under Article 11 and Annex IV of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 is generated from the data you input. The accuracy of that data is your responsibility. AICheck does not replace a qualified professional assessment.

Don't wait for the consultancy. Generate the Annex IV documentation for your AI system in your browser in 45 minutes.

Twelve documents. Annex IV fully structured. Regulation (EU) 2024/1689. Your data does not leave your machine. The ZIP you download is yours to keep.

€249 one-time payment
12 professional documents · 45 minutes · No subscription · 100% in your browser
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✓ Last regulatory verification: 11 May 2026 · No substantive changes detected · View history