A significant step forward has been taken in Europe regarding copyright protection in the face of artificial intelligence. Taking on board many of the suggestions raised by participants at the first round-table discussion of Eurovisioni’s International Day (specifically the one on copyright reform in the age of artificial intelligence), the Parliament has approved a motion calling for the protection of copyright in relation to AI applications, fair remuneration for copyright holders, and the obligation to declare which copyright-protected materials have been used to produce each AI application. It is now up to the Commission to take this into account in its proposed revision of the European Copyright Directive. Below is the statement from Eurovisioni member the ECCD – European Confederation of Coalitions for Diversity – on this issue.
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The European Coalitions for Cultura! Diversity (ECCD) welcomes the European Parliament’s adoption of the report on ‘Copyright and Generative Artificial lntelligence – Opportunities and Challenges’, tabled by MEP Axel Voss. Adopted by a very large majority – 460 votes in favour out of 619 voters -this major resolution marks a decisive politica I milestone: the European Union confirms that innovation cannot flourish at the expense of creators and rights holders, and that copyright and intellectual property rema in an essential pillar of the European cultura I ecosystem. To enhance transparency, the report calls for the full disclosure of copyright-protected works used to train Al models. lt also reiterates that providing information on the use of a work does not constitute a breach of tracie secrets. In the absence of full transparency, the text provides for the application of a rebuttable presumption of use of protected works, in line with the draft law currently being examined by the French Se nate. The Parliament also calls on the Commission to review the existing Code of Practice and transparency model, which are now considered insufficient to protect creators’ rights. On the issue of remuneration, the Parliament invites the European Commission to explore mechanisms to encourage the granting of licences and to ensure fair remuneration for creators and rights holders, directly linked to the actual use of their works and content. The report al so reaffirms a fundamental principle: that of the territoriality of copyright. Any Al provider placing a model on the European market must comply with European Union law, regardless of where they are established. This resolution serves as a cali to address the structural imbalance between generative Al companies and creators in the European Union. In this regard, the report highlights that the widespread adoption of these technologies’ risks undermining and destroying artistic jobs and exacerbating the concentration of value in the hands of a small number of global players. The ECCD fully shares this concern and calls on the European Commission to act swiftly, proposing ambitious and concrete measures and legislative tools that respond to the urgency and scale of the challenges identified, in order to preserve cultura I diversity and ensure a level playing field. Finally, the ECCD would like to thank the rapporteur, Axel Voss, the shadow rapporteurs and ali MEPs, whose commitment has resulted in a robust, visionary text that remains faithful to the European principles of cultura I sovereignty.