Question 1

What does EU AI Act compliance consulting involve?

Accepted Answer

We start with a one-hour status call at no charge. You leave with a written summary of your AI system's risk classification under the EU AI Act, your three most critical compliance gaps, and a clear first step. From there, if we proceed, we issue a fixed-fee proposal with a defined scope and set of deliverables. No open-ended retainers at the outset. You know exactly what you are getting before you commit.

Question 2

What is a Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment (FRIA) and who needs one?

Accepted Answer

A Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment (FRIA) is a mandatory obligation under Article 27 of the EU AI Act for deployers of high-risk AI systems. It requires a structured evaluation of how your AI system may affect the fundamental rights of people subject to its decisions — including rights to non-discrimination, privacy, and due process. Any organisation deploying a high-risk AI system listed in Annex III of the EU AI Act must complete a FRIA before deployment. The deadline for compliance is December 2, 2027.

Question 3

Does the EU AI Act apply to companies outside the EU?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The EU AI Act applies extraterritorially. It does not matter where your company is based. If your AI system affects people in the EU — as users, as subjects of a decision, or as people affected by an automated process — you are in scope. A US lender offering loans to EU customers, a UK HR platform screening candidates who are EU citizens, a Canadian insurer with EU policyholders: all are in scope. We work with organisations internationally.

Question 4

How long does an EU AI Act compliance audit or FRIA take?

Accepted Answer

Scope is confirmed in the first week. A compliance audit or FRIA typically runs three to four weeks of active work. Grievance mechanism design and ethics advisory engagements are similar in duration. Training workshops are scheduled around your team's availability. All timelines are confirmed in writing before we begin — we do not start work without a clear scope.

Question 5

Who is EU AI Act compliance consulting not right for?

Accepted Answer

If your AI system is not deployed in the EU and has no EU users, you are outside the scope of the EU AI Act and do not need our services. We are also not the right fit if you are looking for a law firm — we provide compliance consulting, not legal advice. If you need a Rechtsanwalt to advise on enforcement proceedings or regulatory submissions with legal privilege, we will tell you so and point you to the right people.

Question 6

How is Valorial different from a law firm or Big Four consultancy?

Accepted Answer

Law firms provide legal advice — we provide compliance methodology. Big Four consultancies offer process frameworks built for large enterprise engagements. We bring something neither offers: 25+ years of IFC Performance Standard methodology applied directly to EU AI Act requirements. Our FRIA outputs are scored, weighted, and built to withstand regulatory scrutiny — not questionnaire-based documentation that satisfies a checkbox but not a regulator.

Your board, your clients, or a regulator will ask to see your AI governance.
What will you show them?

Start here: The AI Governance Status Check

Governance Foundations

EU AI Act Compliance Track

From Safeguards to Fundamental Rights: Applying IFC Proportionality Methodology to EU AI Act Article 27 Assessments

Book a status call.