The Committee on Legal Affairs of the European Parliament approved on 28 January, by 17 votes in favour, 3 against and 2 abstentions, a series of proposals aimed at ensuring full transparency and fair remuneration for creators and rightholders regarding the use of protected works by generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
According to the Committee’s proposals:
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Rightholders must be able to refuse the use of their works for AI training.
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AI providers and users must ensure full transparency regarding the works used, including lists of works and detailed information on data collection practices. Failure to comply with these obligations may constitute a copyright infringement.
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Creators and media organisations must receive fair remuneration for the use of their content, including for past use, while rejecting the idea of a universal licence with a single lump-sum payment.
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Content generated entirely by AI should not be protected by copyright.
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The creation of voluntary, sector-specific collective licensing agreements, accessible to all, including individual creators and small and medium-sized enterprises, is proposed.
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The need to protect citizens from manipulated or malicious AI-generated content is emphasised, as well as the obligation of digital service providers to act against such illegal practices.
The rapporteur of the report, Axel Voss, stated, among other things, that generative AI cannot operate outside the rule of law. Creators are entitled to transparency, legal certainty and fair remuneration. At the same time, the objective should be to foster innovation while safeguarding the fundamental principles of intellectual property.
The report is scheduled to be put to a vote in the plenary session of the European Parliament in March 2026.
Read more here.