A recent investigation conducted by FragDenStaat reveals that European governments are frequently withholding information about meetings with major technology companies over artificial intelligence (AI) regulation. Despite growing public interest and the adoption of the EU’s landmark AI Act, access to the details of these discussions remains limited.
Through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, researchers sought to uncover who governments are meeting with and what is being discussed regarding AI policy. Unfortunately, many responses were incomplete, delayed, or outright refused, with authorities citing reasons such as privacy, commercial interests, or excessive costs.
In the United Kingdom, a March 2023 meeting between the Department for Business and Trade and Microsoft addressed differences between EU and UK AI regulations, but most details were redacted. Denmark’s Ministry for Digital Government met with Facebook and Microsoft in early 2023, yet some meetings had no recorded minutes or agendas. Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs disclosed partial information about an AI Roundtable but withheld attendee details, while a meeting with Alphabet went undocumented. Ireland was more forthcoming, sharing records of meetings with Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, though significant portions were redacted.
Governments often justified limited disclosures by referencing personal data protection, commercial confidentiality, or administrative burdens. Some, like Spain, deemed meeting minutes as internal notes exempt from FOI requests, while others claimed no minutes existed.
The lack of transparency is significant as big tech companies have actively lobbied to shape the EU’s AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive regulation of AI adopted in 2024. Freedom of Information laws are designed to ensure public access to government-held data, but their uneven application across Europe makes it difficult for citizens to understand how crucial AI policies are being formed.
Transparency in these regulatory discussions is seen as vital to ensure accountability and inform the public about decisions that could affect millions.
