The complainant, a non-governmental organisation, raised concerns about the process of adopting harmonised standards related to artificial intelligence in the context of the AI Act. In particular, the complainant is concerned that the European Commission has failed to take sufficient steps to ensure these potentially far-reaching standards, which are adopted by standard-setting bodies that operate as private institutions, are adopted in a transparent manner and that the process is subject to accountability.

The Ombudsman opened an inquiry and set out a series of questions to the Commission.

After receiving the Commission’s reply, the Ombudsman sought to organise a meeting between her inquiry team and Commission representatives to obtain additional information.