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The European Parliament adopted on Tuesday a series of recommendations urging lawmakers to find a “permanent” solution to protect copyright from use by artificial intelligence (AI), a move that creative industry groups say signals strong political backing for artists and rights holders.
Drafted by Parliament’s committee on legal affairs, the report calls for EU copyright law to apply to all AI systems made available to users within the bloc.
Among its key proposals is the creation of a European register at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) that would list every copyrighted work used to train AI models, as well as the artists who have opted out of having their work used. The report also suggests that companies disclose which websites they have scraped for training data.
Parliamentarians warn that failing to comply with these transparency requirements “could be tantamount to infringement of copyright,” potentially exposing AI companies to legal consequences.
MEPs said that copyrighted material must be “fairly remunerated” to protect the bloc’s creative sector, which generates almost seven percent of the EU’s gross domestic product.
“Generative AI must not operate outside of the rule of law,” MEP Axel Voss said about the report in January. “If copyrighted works are used to train AI systems, creators are entitled to transparency, legal certainty, and fair compensation.”
Under the EU’s current rules, companies can use copyrighted materials for text and data mining, including AI training, unless a creator has “reserved their rights,” said Marc du Moulin, secretary-general of the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA), in a previous interview with Euronews Next.
Mixed reactions from industry groups
Creative sector organisations had mixed reactions to the Parliament’s vote.
The adoption of the report shows Parliament “takes a firm position” in favour of creators’ rights, according to the European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers (GESAC).
“This vote adds to the growing recognition at EU level of what is at stake. Innovation, fairness and cultural sovereignty must go hand in hand,” said Adriana Moscoso del Prado, GESAC’s general manager, in a statement to Euronews Next.
Moscoso del Prado also backed the report’s call for a licensing market that ensures creators are paid when their works are used to train AI systems.
Ann Becker, chair of Creativity Works!, a coalition representing creative industries, argued that existing legislation should be enforced to address the unauthorised use of artistic works by AI companies.
“The priority should now be on fully implementing and enforcing existing rules rather than legislative changes that could weaken current protections and jeopardise investment in culture and creativity,” she said.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) echoed that position by saying that requiring prior authorisation from artists before their work can be used to train AI could amount to “a compliance tax” for European companies across multiple sectors.
Many firms, it argued, would struggle to negotiate complex licensing agreements with major publishers. Instead, the association said the focus should be on better implementation of the EU’s existing legislation, including the EU AI Act and the Copyright Directive.
“Today’s non-binding report sends the wrong signal to innovators and risks holding back Europe’s digital competitiveness on the global stage,” said Boniface de Champris, AI policy lead at the Computer & Communications Industry Association.
Creative groups have previously told Euronews Next that current rules do not provide a clear way for artists to opt out of having their work used for AI training.