News from ECSA: November 2025

On 21 November, ECSA and Linecheck co-organised 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, co-funded by Creative Europe, experts Zahra Mani (ECSA Vice-President, Austrian Composers), Samsaya Sampda Sharma (NOPA), Aysha Hussain (Keychange), Irene Tiberi (Equaly), and Daniele Demartini (Universal Music Group Italia) delved into the critical topic of how to react as a third party when experiencing cases of discriminatory, coercive or bad behaviour. The panel brought insights and inspiration on the question of how we can develop effective responses to reported incidents of such cases. We warmly thank all panellists, as well as Linecheck and Creative Europe for making this vital exchange possible.

On 5 November, ECSA President Helienne Lindvall participated in the Kristiansand Roundtable Conference in Kristiansand, Norway. The roundtable, which focused on how AI affects the work of creators and how the industry can act to tackle these developments, was also joined by  composers Simon Darlow and Bendik Hofseth as well as John Mottram and Julia Rowan (PRS for Music). During the roundtable, Helienne provided an overview of the state of play of AI regulation in the EU, and elaborated on ECSA’s stance on this critical topic, stressing the core principles of authorisation, transparency and remuneration for music creators. 

On 10 and 11 December, ECSA Member Asociación Madrileña de Compositores (AMCC) and Fundación SGAE co-organise a Conference of Professional Encounters in Contemporary Music (Jornadas de Encuentros Profesionales de Música Contemporánea) in Madrid, Spain. The conference will include several panels on the international representation of contemporary music, the challenges and opportunities brought by tech developments, and the representation of contemporary music in the media. On 10 December, composer and ECSA Vice-President Zahra Mani (Austrian Composers) and ECSA Secretary General Marc du Moulin will participate in a panel focusing on the international representation of contemporary music, notably through ECSA. The panel will also be joined by SGAE Director of Institutional Relations Iván García Pelayo. Find more information on the conference via Fundación SGAE below. 

On 19 November, ECSA’s Working Group on Social and Economic Conditions of Music Authors gathered online for a presentation by Esther Gottschalk (Nieuw Geneco), Noud van de Rhee (fairPACCT) and Willem Jan Keizer (Musiconnect). The meeting focused on a recent initiative from Dutch ECSA Member Nieuw Geneco, developed in collaboration with fairPACCT, focusing on model contracts for works with grand rights. Nieuw Geneco has recently developed standard agreements for composition commissions in opera, music theatre, musicals, dance and ballet, where grand rights apply. We warmly thank Esther, Noud and Willem Jan for sharing their expertise on this important topic.

On 11 November, ECSA co-signed a set of policy recommendations to strengthen cultural and media relations between the EU and UK, together with more than 200 stakeholders from the EU’s and the UK’s cultural and creative sectors (CCS). The letter, developed by the EU-UK Forum Cultural & Media Relations, calls on EU and UK policy makers to commit to several practical measures, including to address the impact of emerging technologies on the CCS such as generative AI; to promote greater collaboration between the EUIPO, the UK IPO and the CCS on initiatives to improve the quality of and awareness on metadata; to remove barriers to cross-border mobility of CCS professionals; and to commit to UK participation in the EU’s Creative Europe programme and AgoraEU. Find the full list of recommendations below.

On 11 November, the regional court in Munich ruled that OpenAI’s ChatGPT violates copyright laws through its unauthorised use of song lyrics. Last year, German collective management organisation GEMA filed a lawsuit against OpenAI for the unlicensed use of protected musical works. Now, the court ruled that both the memorisation of song lyrics in OpenAI’s models and their reproduction in the outputs infringe copyright. Moreover, it ruled that the text and data mining (TDM) exceptions do not apply, as the training process not only involves extracting information but also reproducing the works, infringing the legitimate interests of rightsholders. ECSA warmly welcomes the ruling, as it marks a vital first step by a European court to uphold copyright in the face of the large-scale and unauthorised use of authors’ works by generative AI providers, ensuring that AI companies cannot use authors’ works without consent nor remuneration. We congratulate GEMA for this legal action undertaken on behalf of the music authors and publishers it represents. Read more about the ruling in GEMA’s press release below.
In similar news, Danish collective management organisation KODA has sued AI music generator Suno, claiming the company trained its AI model on copyrighted music without permission or payment. Find more info on the lawsuits via GEMA’s press release, Complete Music Update, and KODA CEO Gorm Arildsen’s op-ed in Music Business Worldwide.

On 20 and 21 November, the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) hosted its Conference on Copyright, focusing on the latest policy challenges in the field of copyright, including AI, and building the momentum for a more coordinated and future-oriented copyright framework in Europe. The conference was attended by ECSA Secretary General Marc du Moulin. During various sessions and keynotes, key experts stressed the importance of making sure copyright and creativity in Europe remain protected in the age of today’s technological developments. This included a keynote by MEP Axel Voss (EPP, Germany), who highlighted the importance of ensuring that the AI race does not only benefit the largest players but also small creators. Mr. Voss also stressed the need for transparency by AI developers, licensing and remuneration of creators, and strong territoriality rules to ensure anyone making business in Europe respects creators’ rights. We look forward to the EUIPO’s continued engagement with creators to tackle various challenges together, including through its newly launched Copyright Knowledge Centre.

On 19 November, the European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (ECCD) organised a debate at the European Parliament in Brussels. Marking the 20th anniversary of UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the debate, co-organised by MEP Emma Rafowicz (France, S&D), focused on the progress made in protecting and promoting cultural diversity, and on the new challenges that have emerged in the digital age. The debate was attended by ECSA EU Affairs and Programme Manager Claire Iceaga. As a follow up, the ECCD published a press release on 26 November, calling for urgent action to regulate digital platforms; guarantee a fair share of value between creators, rightsholders, digital platforms and AI actors; strengthen the contribution of platforms and AI services to cultural funding and respect for intellectual property; and support an ambitious human-centred approach to creation and AI so that innovation serves, rather than threatens, cultural diversity. Find ECCD’s press release below.

On 12 November, French music streaming platform Deezer announced the results of a new study conducted with Ipsos on attitudes around AI in music, gathering input from 9000 respondents from 8 countries. Among the findings, the study reports that 80% of respondents agree that fully AI-generated music should be clearly labelled, while 45% say they would like to filter out music that is fully AI-generated from their streaming service. Moreover, 73% of respondents think it’s unethical for AI companies to use copyrighted material to generate new music without the artist’s approval. In parallel to these results, Deezer also revealed that around 50,000 AI-generated tracks are uploaded to its platform daily (34% of all uploads), a steep increase from the 30,000 the platform reported in September. Altogether, these data point to listeners’ clear desire for transparency, fairness for creators, and the need for rules around labelling of AI-generated music and against streaming fraud. Read more via Deezer below.

Last month, CISAC, the world's leading network of Collective Management Organisations, published its annual Global Collections Report, tracking royalty collections in music, audiovisual, drama, literature and visual arts repertoires. Among other things, the report shows that royalties collected worldwide rose to a record €13.97 billion in 2024, marking a 6.6% increase. Despite the growth, CISAC Director General Gadi Oron argues in the report, challenges caused by AI “threaten the future of the creative sector”. The report shows how unlicensed generative AI could divert up to 25% of royalties, equivalent to €8.5 billion annually, if left unregulated. Find the full report below.

Last month, Polish ECSA member Society of Polish Audiovisual Composers (SPACe), together with ZAiKS, organised the 2025 SyncCamp in Sopot,  Poland, gathering an exceptional group of music supervisors and composers from around the world. Industry experts Mike Turner and Laura Katz (USA), Paty Carrera (Mexico), and Patrycja Bukowska (Poland) worked closely with talented composers from various countries. The camp also welcomed Suad Bushnaq (Canada) as a composer mentor. The event served as an international platform for exchanging experiences and fostering creative collaboration. In addition to composition sessions, a full workshop day was organised, during which music supervisors and Suad Bushnaq shared their knowledge and insights with 18 participating composers. SPACe’s mission was to create real opportunities for composers to connect with music supervisors and explore sync licensing in practice.

On 20 and 21 November, ECSA Member Society of Finnish Composers (Suomen Säveltäjät ry) celebrated its 80th birthday in Turku, Finland. Around 150 guests gathered to commemorate the society’s jubilee in celebrations including a reception at the Sibelius Museum and three concerts, presented by Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, What ever Works! Festival and Turku Music Festival. Founded in 1945, the Society has grown to a community of 250 members and represents a diverse group of composers.