Key facts
- The EU ombudsman has opened an inquiry into the appointment of Siemens chairman Jim Hagemann Snabe as special envoy for industrial AI.
- NGOs including Transparency International, Corporate Europe Observatory, LobbyControl and the Good Lobby complained to the EU watchdog.
- The NGOs cited Snabe's ongoing role at Siemens as potentially compromising the envoy's independence and impartiality.
- Siemens lobbied to loosen EU AI law rules, specifically exempting products covered by EU machinery rules.
- Snabe will serve in the unpaid role until the end of March 2027 and is expected to produce a report on AI infrastructure, frontier AI technologies and industrial AI adoption.
- The Commission has defended the appointment, stating Snabe's report will be publicly available and subject to scrutiny.
The European Union's ombudsman has initiated an inquiry into the European Commission's decision to appoint Siemens chairman Jim Hagemann Snabe as a special envoy for industrial artificial intelligence. The investigation was prompted by a complaint from a coalition of non-governmental organizations, including Transparency International, Corporate Europe Observatory, LobbyControl, and The Good Lobby.
These NGOs expressed concerns that Snabe's continued position as chairman of Siemens could compromise the independence and impartiality required for his new role. They had previously communicated these concerns to the Commission on June 10 but reported receiving no response. Snabe's appointment, which is unpaid and set to last until the end of March 2027, involves producing a report on key AI areas such as infrastructure, frontier technologies, and adoption.
The controversy stems partly from Siemens' recent lobbying efforts to influence the EU's AI legislation. The company was a key advocate for exempting products under EU machinery rules from the bloc's main AI law, a change that EU legislators ultimately agreed to incorporate into the law. Siemens is also part of European Tech Creators, a lobbying group that includes other major tech firms and has engaged in direct meetings with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Commission has defended Snabe's appointment, asserting that his forthcoming report will be publicly accessible and open to scrutiny. However, the Commission has reportedly denied access to documents related to Snabe's appointment to both European Parliament lawmakers and POLITICO.