News from ECSA: October 2025

On 16 October, World Soundtrack Awards (WSA) and ECSA co-organised the Creators’ Talks panel "Negotiating in The Dark: The Composer’s Contract" in Ghent, Belgium. During the panel, composer and ECSA Board Member Johan van der Voet (BCMM), composer Aisling Brouwer, Valerie Dobbelaere (Strike A Score), Harriet Moss (Faber Music) and moderator Sarah Glennane (Screen Composers Guild of Ireland) shared their perspectives and practical tips on what film composers can do to better protect their rights, and on what action we can take collectively against unfair contracts. The discussion showed that secrecy around contractual practices often puts film composers in vulnerable positions, with little control over how their music is exploited and with deals that may leave them without significant future royalties.  The experts highlighted what can be done at international and national level to bring this to a halt, and emphasised the importance for composers to understand their rights. We thank WSA, all panellists, and Creative Europe for an afternoon full of insights. Find more info on the panel in an article by Variety and watch the recording of the panel here.

On 7 October, ECSA and 12 other organisations representing hundreds of thousands of creators and artists all over Europe sent a letter to Members of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs (JURI) Committee, presenting our views and voting recommendations on amendments to the JURI draft report “Copyright and generative AI – opportunities and challenges". The recommendations focused on several priorities that are crucial to our communities of authors, performers, and other creative workers, including ensuring full transparency for generative AI models, fair remuneration of creators, and the ability for rightsholders to authorise or refuse the use of their works. Find the full letter, with several other recommendations, via the link below and read more via coverage by Creative Industries News (behind paywall).

Last month, Greek Collective Management Organisation Apollon and the International Federation of Musicians (FIM) organised the conference "Music in the Digital Age" in Athens, Greece, bringing together creative workers, legal experts, policy makers and other industry professionals to address critical questions on topics such as AI and intellectual property, streaming and fair pay, and regulation and innovation. On 24 October, ECSA Secretary General Marc du Moulin participated in the conference's panel "Generative AI and the entertainment sector: the creators’ perspective". The panel, also joined by Patricia Riera-Barsallo (AISGE), Chris Castle (ARI), Giorgos Andreou (composer) and moderator Ioan Kaes (AEPO-ARTIS), provided insights on the disruptive impact of AI on the established entertainment industry models and the pressing issues it raises on authorship and copyright. We warmly thank Apollon and FIM for an excellent conference providing a platform for these crucial exchanges.

On 21 November, ECSA and Linecheck co-organise the panel “How to (re)act to stories or incidents of violation or violence” at Linecheck Music Meeting & Festival in Milan, Italy. During the panel, experts Zahra Mani (ECSA Vice-President, Austrian Composers), Samsaya Sampda Sharma (Co-Chair of ECSA Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion, NOPA), Aysha Hussain (Keychange), and Irene Tiberi (Equaly) will delve into the critical topic of how to react as a third party when experiencing discriminatory, coercive or bad behaviour.  The key focus will be to develop effective responses to reported incidents of violence and to look into behavioural tools to facilitate de-escalation whilst addressing the problem at hand. The panel is co-funded by Creative Europe.

Between 6-10 October, the Independent Music Publishers International Forum (IMPF) organised its yearly Global Music Summit in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, gathering IMPF’s music publisher members, music creators, and other music industry professionals for various talks, panels, and networking activities. On 10 October, ECSA President Helienne Lindvall participated in a keynote conversation in the frame of the conference, alongside composer and artist Nitin Sawhney and Annette Barrett (MD & Global Strategist, Reservoir Media). The conversation focused on the relationship between publishers and composers and what publishers can do for composers, as well as on AI, the value of human creativity, and how we can protect it.
During the summit, which was also attended by ECSA’s EU Affairs and Programme Manager Claire Iceaga, IMPF also organised its Palma songwriting camp, bringing together 21 songwriters and producers to create new projects inspired by briefs from labels and the sync and gaming sectors. ECSA is looking forward to collaborating with IMPF to organise the next edition of the songwriting camp together in 2026, which will be co-funded by Creative Europe.

On 30 October, ECSA’s Working Group on Technology and AI had the pleasure to welcome Dr. Kai Welp (General Counsel of GEMA) as an external speaker. During the meeting, he presented the latest developments in GEMA’s ongoing lawsuits against OpenAI and Suno, and talked about AI licensing models as well as other AI-related issues. His presentation was followed by an open Q&A with ECSA members. We sincerely thank Mr. Welp for his time and look forward to continuing a constructive collaboration with GEMA.

On 5 November, ECSA President Helienne Lindvall participates in the Kristiansand Roundtable Conference in Kristiansand, Norway. During the roundtable, composers Simon Darlow and Bendik Hofseth will focus on AI and creative practice, while John Mottram and Julia Rowan (PRS for Music) discuss the benefits and negative impact of AI on creators and how the industry can act to tackle them. Helienne will provide an overview of ECSA’s position and recent advocacy efforts around this topic, which has always been based on the core principles of authorisation, transparency and remuneration for music creators.

On 24 October, ECSA responded to a public consultation and a call for evidence by the European Commission to gather views on the upcoming Digital Fairness Act. The Act will aim at strengthening consumer protection laws based on the shortcomings identified by the European Commission in last year’s Digital Fitness Check. Among them, it aims to address harmful online practices faced by consumers such as deceptive interface designs, misleading marketing, and unfair personalisation practices. ECSA took the opportunity to call on the Commission to implement transparency measures around music streaming platforms’ recommender systems, as well as around unlabelled AI-generated music – both of which impact consumer choices and whose lack of transparency endangers both consumers and music creators. Read our full submission below.

On 10 November, Initiative Urheberrecht (Authors’ Rights Initiative) organises its 13th International Authors' Rights Conference in Berlin, Germany. Initiative Urheberrecht is a German platform representing 42 guilds and unions across the entire creative sector, including ECSA members Composers’ Club, DEFKOM, and Song e.V. Berufsverband Songwriting. This year’s conference will focus on the use of generative AI in light of international (digital) political developments. From the perspective of the cultural, creative, and media industries, the conference looks at the implementation of the EU AI Act, possible regulatory approaches, and the state of democracy and the rule of law, freedom of expression, art, press, and science. Registration for the livestream is possible via this link, while registration for the waiting list to attend in person is possible here.

Last month, the European Audiovisual Observatory published its report “The status of artists and cultural and creative professionals in Europe: social rights and circulation”. The report explores the realities, challenges, and opportunities facing Europe’s artists and creative workers today, and sheds a light on how the various European countries and their national legislations propose to improve conditions for creative workers in Europe. Among other things, the report shows that 68% of artists juggle more than one job – with over a third working outside the sector to make ends meet, and that over half of audiovisual creators face long periods with no paid work. Find the full report via the link below.

This month, French ECSA Member Syndicat national des auteurs et des compositeurs (SNAC) published its trimestrial bulletin, dedicated to professional information on copyright as well as legal and fiscal questions specific to their members. This edition also includes an interview with ECSA Secretary General Marc du Moulin, in which he elaborates on the latest developments regarding the EU AI Act, its implementation package, the JURI draft report on copyright and AI, and ECSA’s point of view on these matters, which is based on the core principles of authorisation, remuneration, and transparency. The interview also touches upon the European Commission's AgoraEU programme and budget proposal from last July. Find the full bulletin via the link below.

On 9 October, Spanish ECSA Member Musimagen celebrated its Musimagen Awards, honoring the best music in Spanish audiovisual productions, with the support of the SGAE Foundation. Arnau Bataller won Best Original Score for a Feature Film (El 47), while Paloma Peñarrubia was honored with Best Documentary Score (Los últimos pastores). The Best Series Score went to Zacarías M. de la Riva (Entrevías), while Daniel Trujillo earned Best Advertising Music (Donde vive la magia de la Navidad). Rubén Melià triumphed in Best Video Game Score (Nordic Ashes), and Yulia Protasova won Best Short Film Score (De-sastre). ECSA congratulates all winners!

Last month, ECSA Honorary Vice-President Luis Ivars (Musimagen) participated in the development of amendments to the royal decree being prepared by the Spanish Ministry of Labor and Social Economy and the Ministry of Culture. The decree aims to update the labor framework for the cultural sector, including its relationship with AI. Luis has also participated in several conferences on AI, organised by UDM (Union of Musicians), AAEDA (Association of Art Directors, the Commercial Office in Alicante, and EUIPO. Among others, Luis was joined by speakers such as former MEP Iban García del Blanco (LASKER), Marta Nadal (Legal Director of SGAE), and Jesús Sevillano (General Director of AIE), defending the position of creators in the face of the lack of transparency, consent and remuneration of generative AI systems.

The Nordic Composers Council, consisting of among others ECSA members Danish Composer Society, Swedish Composers Society, Norwegian Composers Society, Finnish Society of Composers, and Society of Icelandic Composers, has introduced New Music ExChange – a three-year international collaboration dedicated to advancing equity in contemporary music for disabled composers and musicians. The project brings together organisations from the Nordics, Scotland and the Baltics to create new opportunities, share knowledge and challenge barriers in music education, festivals and professional practice. On 14 November, the first activity of the project will be organised with the Inclusive Contemporary Music Practice Seminar, taking place in Helsingør, Denmark.

Nordic Film Music Days (NFMD) is celebrating their 10th anniversary in 2026! NFMD is an annual event where film and music industry professionals meet, start future collaborations, educate, network, and showcase films. With 600 individual participants from all Nordic countries, NFMD has become ‘the place to be-and-meet’ for anybody having an interest in the process, the work, and the art of scoring for film and TV productions. Taking place on 14 and 15 February 2026 in Berlin, and partly connected to Berlinale, this year’s conference will include a  talk programme (including a talk co-organised with ECSA), interviews, speed meetings, films, networking and the HARPA Award Ceremony.

This year, the Croatian Composers’ Society (HDS) marks 80 years of existence as a key institution in Croatian musical culture. Founded in 1945, HDS unites composers, musicologists, and music writers, promoting national musical creativity through projects such as the Music Biennale Zagreb, the Music Panel, and the Porin Awards. Over the decades, it developed the collective copyright system (ZAMP), supported artistic and educational initiatives, and expanded its membership to authors across all genres. Today, through publishing, grants, international cooperation, and the glazba.hr portal, HDS continues to shape Croatia’s cultural landscape and strengthen the position of its music creators.

ECSA is looking for three mentors from the contemporary classical music sector to join the AEC–ECSA–EJN–JMI Mentorship Programme 2025–2027. This EU-funded initiative aims to empower the next generation of female and non-binary music creators across Europe. If you are an experienced female or non-binary music creator ready to inspire the next generation, and if you are willing to share your professional expertise, help shape careers, and contribute to greater equality in the European music sector, you can apply as a mentor and help us to enhance gender equality and non-binary visibility in the music industry. Applications are open until 10 November.

This month, the European Commission announced a new round of grants offered to artists and cultural professionals who want to develop a mobility project between their country of residence and another Creative Europe country. The grant is applicable for a wide range of creative sectors, including music. The call is open until 30 April 2026 on a rolling basis. The call is funded under the Creative Europe programme of the European Union and is implemented by the Goethe-Institut.

On 1 October, the International Music Council (IMC) announced that the 2025 IMC Music Rights Award will be given to the project Gaza Sings: Voices of Steadfastness and Hope. The project, implemented by the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music (Palestine), offers children and youth access to music making and enjoyment, while empowering 42 musicians and 7 ensembles with opportunities for paid work and recognition. IMC’s Music Rights Award serves as a symbol of recognition and celebration for the dedication, creativity, and impact of all those involved in the nominated programmes. Find more info via IMC’s press release below.

To promote the works of women composers, the French Association for Orchestras (AFO) has developed Unanimes!, a composition competition for women composers. Candidates may apply in the categories chamber orchestra or symphonic orchestra. A jury will select up to three candidates in each category. Each selected composer will then have six months (until 22 June 2026) to write an unpublished work lasting 7–8 minutes. These works will be premiered during the final round by the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, in the presence of the jury and the finalist composers, on October 1, 2026. The jury will designate one laureate in each category. The finalists will be provided with a recording of their work for promotion purposes. Applications are open until 23 November, 2025. Find more info and eligibility criteria below.