The EU Commission’s decision to appoint the chair of Siemens, Jim Hagemann Snabe, as AI envoy is rife with extraordinary conflicts of interest. Brussels is currently engaged in an unprecedented rollback of digital, social, and environmental rules, which often closely mirror industry lobbying demands. Now it seems that corporate interests don’t just have a seat at the table — they have an office in the Berlaymont.
A few weeks ago, yet another EU competition official joined a law firm to work for clients facing antitrust investigations. DG Competition’s spinning revolving door is putting the integrity of the EU’s competition policy at severe risk.
This should be a wake-up call to ensure consultancy firms with a vested interest are permanently excluded from public tenders. The close relationship between the EU’s competition authority and economic consultants poses a serious risk to its independence.
The EU Commission has outsourced its merger policy to a consultancy which counts Google as its best friend. And it’s not the first time the Commission has hired consultants with a vested interest for policy advice.
The launch of ChatGPT has sparked a worldwide debate on Artificial Intelligence systems. Amidst Big Tech’s proclamations that these AI systems will revolutionise our daily lives, the companies are engaged in a fierce lobbying battle to water-down regulations.
The European Commission proposes a €13bn budget for research and development of military research, the European Defence Fund. Investing EU funds in military research will divert resources from more peaceful areas, and is likely to fuel arms races.