The European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) has adopted an own-initiative report on Copyright and Generative AI – opportunities and challenges, authored by Axel Voss MEP, with a strong majority (17 votes in favour, 3 against, 2 abstentions).
The report underlines a clear principle: generative AI must operate within the rule of law. Where copyrighted works are used to train AI systems, creators are entitled to transparency, legal certainty, and fair compensation. The report stresses that innovation and copyright protection are not mutually exclusive; both can and must coexist within a clear and enforceable legal framework.
A central aim of the report is to ensure that Europe’s approach to AI development supports technological innovation while safeguarding intellectual property rights, which are fundamental to the creative economy. Strong, enforceable rules are seen as essential not only to protect creators, but also to reinforce Europe’s technological sovereignty in a rapidly evolving global AI landscape.
Axel Voss expressed his thanks to the shadow rapporteurs for their cooperation, as well as to his team, particularly Leonie Dufournet, for their work on the report. He also emphasised that the next step now lies with the European Commission, calling on it to follow up on the report’s conclusions and translate them into concrete action.
This development marks an important moment in the ongoing European debate on AI, copyright, and the future of creative industries, and will be closely watched by stakeholders across the visual media and wider cultural sectors.