The Pulse
EU sought evidence on AI-era copyright rules
The European Commission opened a call for evidence on copyright, generative AI and creative rights on 13 May 2026. The exercise also feeds a review of the 2019 digital copyright directive and consideration of possible EU legislation.
AI.info Team · Written with AI ·
The European Commission’s copyright review began with a call for evidence published on 13 May 2026, seeking input on generative AI, creators’ rights and other gaps in the EU’s copyright rules. The Commission announced the exercise on 18 May and set 25 June as the deadline for contributions. That evidence-gathering period has closed.
The call combines a review of the 2019 Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive with preparatory work for a possible targeted legislative initiative. The Commission is examining how the directive works in practice, while asking what further changes may be needed as AI tools reshape the use and licensing of protected works. It has not committed to a final proposal: its call document says the initiative’s scope and timing remain subject to change.
AI licensing sits alongside creator pay
The Commission’s questions focus on whether rights holders can control, license and receive payment for uses of their work in AI systems—and whether providers can obtain access to protected content. The Commission says existing EU rules, including the copyright directive and copyright-related provisions of the AI Act, may not fully address those difficulties. Its document also flags performers’ concerns about AI-generated imitations of their voices or performances, which may raise issues beyond copyright law.
Among the options the Commission says it may assess are better access for rights holders to information about how their content is used, and mediation or arbitration to help licensing. It is also considering measures to improve creator remuneration and protections against AI-generated impersonations. Those are possibilities for assessment, not settled policy or rules already in force.
Live piracy and research are part of the review
The initiative reaches beyond generative AI. The Commission is considering whether rights holders need stronger remedies against online piracy of live events and whether Member State authorities should coordinate more closely. It points to illegal IPTV services and apps as part of the problem, alongside piracy websites.
Music remuneration and research access are also on the agenda. The Commission is examining whether the EU should apply a principle of material reciprocity when performers and producers seek equitable remuneration for recorded music played in the bloc. For research, possible approaches include clarifying or harmonising an existing research exception and allowing authors, under certain conditions, to republish scientific work independently of the version issued by a publisher.
A review now, a possible law later
The work has two linked tracks: assessing the 2019 directive and preparing a potential legislative initiative. The Commission says an external study supports the directive review, while an impact assessment and a targeted economic study will inform any proposed legislation. Its initial call also said a separate targeted consultation would follow to gather views on policy options.
The Commission lists the first quarter of 2027 as the indicative period for a possible proposal, while stressing that the schedule may change. The evidence call is therefore an early stage in a policy process, not a new copyright law. The concrete issues on the table range from AI licensing and performer impersonations to live-event piracy, music royalties and researchers’ ability to share publicly funded work.