EIMP recently submitted its response to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on possible targeted measures to modernise the Copyright in the Digital Single Market (CDSM) Directive. In our contribution, we stressed the importance of ensuring a regulatory framework that allows for healthy and open competition in media markets while adapting effectively to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, including generative AI.
The Commission’s initiative aims to gather feedback on how to modernise copyright rules, correctly identifying that AI poses significant challenges for rightsholders in controlling, licensing, and being remunerated for the use of their works. While the rapid advancement of generative AI presents European media businesses with promising opportunities for newsroom innovation and productivity, its application must remain transparent and responsibly managed.
In the contribution, EIMP underlined the urgent need to foster a level playing field against legacy media outlets with consolidated market power, noting that AI can serve as a critical equalizer for small, independent digital publishers. EIMP strongly supports the thorough enforcement of current transparency standards over the creation of new rules, as the efficacy of the CDSM Directive’s opt-out mechanisms relies entirely on practical transparency for small and medium-sized media enterprises. We emphasized that AI must function as a transformative tool that complements human creativity rather than replacing it, requiring a balanced regulatory environment that vigorously protects press freedom, core democratic values, and intellectual property rights.
EIMP also highlighted several priority areas that require concrete action: (i) Foster competitiveness and media pluralism; (ii) safeguarding transparency; (iii) enforcing Article 4 and transparency requirements.
EIMP remains fully committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue with the European institutions to shape AI and copyright policies that maximize technological innovation while safeguarding media pluralism and fair competition. We look forward to ensuring that future frameworks closely reflect the realities and needs of Europe’s diverse media ecosystem, and that small, local, and digital native media publishers continue to be fostered.
About EIMP
The European Independent Media Publishers association – EIMP, is a pan-European association consisting of national associations of media publishers and individual publishers that are active in the sector of media publishing in Europe. EIMP represents innovative, independent, local and regional outlets that rely on online channels to grow and reach audiences, and promotes media pluralism and an ecosystem that fosters growth for small, independent and innovative (digital-native) media publishers. EIMP was established in 2015 when the European Commission launched its copyright reform, in order to take part in the debate and ensure the new rules support our members. EIMP represents over 2000 media outlets across Europe. In addition to voluntary membership contributions, EIMP is supported by Google. Contact: secretariat@eimp.eu
