ECSA’s position on proposed amendments to the draft report “Cultural and Creative Sectors in the Age of AI”

On 2 November 2026, ECSA sent a letter to MEPs in the Culture and Education Committee with its voting recommendations on amendments to MEP Helder Sousa Silva’s draft report "Cultural and Creative Sectors in the Age of AI".  Find the full letter below.

Brussels, 2 November 2026

Dear Member of the Culture and Education Committee,

We are writing to you on behalf of the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) to express our position on the tabled amendments to the draft report “Cultural and creative sectors in the Age of AI”, presented by MEP Hélder Sousa Silva on 28 September. ECSA represents the voices of more than 30,000 composers and songwriters across 57 organisations in 29 European countries.

In March 2026, ECSA put forward its recommendations for the draft report, together with a coalition of 13 other organisations representing authors, performers, and cultural workers across the CCS. While we welcome the draft report, several amendments are essential to preserve authors’ rights, achieve a fair balance between creators’ rights and innovation, and promote a thriving and competitive future for Europe’s music creators and our cultural and creative sectors at large.

This is why we call on you to:

1. Support additional legislative measures to ensure that AI services respect the principles of authorisation, remuneration, and transparency (“ART” principles).

Support amendments: 21, 46, 47, 56, 67, 68, 69, 70, 78, 89, 90, 91, 96, 101, 120, 122, 125, 127, 139, 145, 147, 149, 150, 151, 153, 155, 161, 164, 173, 174, 175, 178, 180, 182, 184, 185, 188, 194, 195, 208, 210, 211, 212, 213, 216, 217, 219, 220, 231, 239.

Reject amendments: 15, 22, 23, 105, 138.

2. Tackle unfair contractual practices that pressure authors and performers to accept broad clauses to transfer their rights for AI-related uses, and other unfair practices, including buyouts.

Support amendments: 24, 59, 93, 101, 117, 145, 149, 150, 188, 239, 241, 243, 245.

Reject amendments: 244.

3. Urgently address the substitution effect of AI-generated content, including the unauthorised replication of voice, image, and likeness of authors and performers on streaming platforms.

Support amendments: 27, 34, 36, 38, 40, 55, 58, 60, 67, 81, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 101, 119, 122, 125, 126, 127, 131, 141, 152, 190, 191, 192, 209, 213, 231, 252

Reject amendments: 57, 61, 187, 229, 232.

4. Tackle streaming fraud, including through obligations for platforms and distributors to verify the identity of their customers and prevent the submission of fraudulent content, and ensure that AI-generated tracks are transparently labelled as such on streaming platforms.

Support amendments: 198, 202, 203, 205, 206, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 240, 259, 260, 261.

Reject amendments: 199, 201, 229, 276.

5. Ensure the application of EU copyright law to all AI companies placing their products on the EU market, including through the strengthening of the EU AI Act’s implementation.

Support amendments: 72, 152, 154, 155, 158, 162, 163, 208, 259, 260, 261.

Reject amendments: 157.

6. Promote the discoverability of European musical works, algorithmic transparency on streaming platforms, and cultural diversity in the context of AI.

Support amendments: 71, 73, 79, 89, 90, 91, 92, 102, 109, 112, 115, 120, 166, 167, 168, 172, 227, 248.

Reject amendments: 169, 225, 228, 229.

* * *

A complete overview of our position on the amendments, which includes additional amendments not included in the lists above, can be found below.

Thank you very much for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any comments or questions.

Please find below an overview of all amendments that ECSA suggests to support or reject, including additional ones not listed in the letter.

Supported amendments:
1, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 19, 21, 24, 27, 29, 34, 36, 38, 40, 43, 45, 46, 47, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 78, 79, 81, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 95, 96, 101, 102, 103, 104, 109, 112, 115, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122, 125, 126, 127, 131, 133, 139, 141, 143, 145, 147, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 158, 161, 162, 163, 164, 166, 167, 168, 172, 173, 174, 175, 178, 180, 182, 184, 185, 188, 190, 191, 192, 194, 195, 198, 202, 203, 205, 206, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 216, 217, 219, 220, 227, 231, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 243, 245, 248, 252, 259, 260, 261, 302.

Rejected amendments:
3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 22, 23, 28, 31, 57, 61, 105, 138, 157, 169, 187, 199, 201, 225, 228, 229, 232, 244, 249, 264, 276.