Citing diplomatic sources, theEUobservernotes that several EU member states will require more time than initially envisioned to develop national artificial intelligence (AI) strategies. In December 2018, the European Commission released a Coordinated Plan on the Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence Made in Europe, which 'encouraged' EU countries 'to put in place [...] national AI strategies or programmes or add AI dimensions in other relevant strategies and programmes outlining investment levels and implementation measures'. According to EUobserver, Croatia, Cyprus, Hungary, Slovenia and Spain expect to have their national AI strategies ready by the end of 2019. Austria and the Netherlands are reportedly planning to publish their strategy in the autumns, while Ireland intends to have the document ready in the last quarter of 2019. For several other countries, such as Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Poland, it is unclear when their governments expect to have AI strategies in place. On the other hand, France, Germany and the UK are among the countries that already adopted such strategies in 2018.