Sep 18, 2025
With the adoption of the AI Act, the European Union is introducing a new tool to foster innovation – AI Regulatory Sandboxes. These are controlled environments where companies can test AI solutions in real-life conditions, under the supervision of regulators and with clear rules on safety, ethics, and accountability.
For companies, sandboxes represent an opportunity for faster innovation and a chance to experiment and adapt their products before official licensing. This reduces the risk of sanctions and encourages innovation, but also requires serious preparation: data protection, ethical standards, internal policies, and algorithmic transparency.
Three major challenges facing Member States:
Capacity – sufficient experts and resources are needed to effectively manage sandbox programs.
Coordination – synchronization between institutions and Member States is essential to avoid market fragmentation.
Attractiveness for companies – participation must bring real benefits, such as access to expertise and a faster route to market.
Bulgaria and Europe
In Bulgaria, an AI sandbox has not yet been introduced, but the country is required to establish at least one by 2 August 2026. At the same time, Spain has had a functioning sandbox since 2022 – the first in Europe – and Malta is actively applying the sandbox model in fintech and AI, positioning itself as an innovation hub.
At BBA, we are ready to support you every step of the way – from preparing for participation in sandboxes to successful implementation, both in Bulgaria and in already established models such as those in Spain and Malta.