ECSA Conference "Authors’ Rights and Music Streaming in the Age of AI"
02 June 2026
MEDAA (Rue du Prince Royal 85-87), Brussels
On 2 June 2026, ECSA hosted its half-day conference "Authors’ Rights and Music Streaming in the Age of AI" at MEDAA (Rue du Prince Royal 85-87) in Brussels.
During several panels, keynotes, and presentations, high-level experts exchanged on the current state of copyright and generative AI regulation in the EU, while focusing on solutions to the challenges faced by music authors today – particularly those linked to the relationship between generative AI and authors' rights and the implications of AI-generated music for creators in today’s streaming ecosystem.
Find the full programme below.
Programme
12:30 - 13:00 Registration
13:00 - 13:10 Welcome and conference opening
- Welcome words by Helienne Lindvall, ECSA President
13:10 - 13:30 Opening keynote – Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
- Opening keynote by Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, European Commission
13:30 - 14:30 Panel discussion – Generative AI and Authors’ Rights: Where Do We Stand?
Dominick Luquer (Secretary General, FIA)
Dr. Kai Welp (General Counsel, GEMA)
Prof. Alain Strowel (Professor, UCLouvain)
Rodolphe Wouters (Policy Officer, Copyright Unit, European Commission)
Moderator: Helienne Lindvall (ECSA President)
14:30 - 14:50 Break
14:50 - 15:10 The study on the discoverability of diverse European cultural content in the digital environment
- Presentation by Martin Clarke, Project manager, Panteia
15:10 - 16:10 Panel discussion – AI, Transparency, and Fairness in Today’s Music Streaming Ecosystem
Helen Smith (Executive Chair, IMPALA)
Nathalie Birocheau (CEO and Co-founder, Ircam Amplify)
Tobias Stenkjaer (Chair of Danish Pop Auteurs, ECSA Board Member)
Moderator: Fabien Miclet (European Affairs consultant)
16:10 - 16:20 Keynote – Emma Rafowicz, Member of the European Parliament
- Keynote by Emma Rafowicz, Member of the European Parliament (Socialists & Democrats, France) and co-rapporteur on the legislative proposal for the AgoraEU programme 2028-2034
16:20 - 16:40 Break
16:40 - 17:00 The presumption of use of cultural content by AI providers
- Presentation by Alexandra Bensamoun, Professor of Law at Université Paris-Saclay
17:00 - 17:10 Keynote – Axel Voss, Member of the European Parliament
- Keynote by Axel Voss, Member of the European Parliament (European People’s Party, Germany) and rapporteur on the European Parliament resolution “Copyright and generative artificial intelligence – opportunities and challenges”
17:10 - 17:20 Keynote – Hélder Sousa Silva, Member of the European Parliament
- Keynote by Hélder Sousa Silva, Member of the European Parliament (European People’s Party, Portugal) and rapporteur on the upcoming European Parliament resolution “Cultural and creative sectors in the age of AI”
17:20 - 17:30 Closing remarks
Closing remarks by Aafke Romeijn, Songwriter and ECSA Board Member
17:30 - 19:00 Reception