European Commission opens consultation on copyright and AI, asking whether rules on protected content in AI need strengthening

What happened

On 29 September 2026 the European Commission launched a targeted consultation on the challenges that technological developments, including artificial intelligence, pose for copyright protection, and on options for potential future measures. The consultation covers four areas: the use of copyright-protected content in artificial intelligence; the fight against online piracy of content such as live events; the application of the 'single equitable remuneration' right for music performers and producers; and copyright in scientific research.

The Commission states that, while the EU already has a copyright framework, emerging challenges and market developments raise the question of whether that framework should be reinforced through additional measures. The consultation builds on a call for evidence conducted earlier in 2026 and on previous studies and assessments. Feedback is invited from copyright and related-rights holders, generative AI providers and other actors in the AI value chain, collective management organisations, research organisations, national authorities and consumer organisations. The consultation remains open until 3 November 2026.

Why it matters to creators

This is the EU's open channel for deciding whether the rules governing AI companies' use of protected work — training, opt-outs, remuneration and licensing — should be strengthened beyond the AI Act's existing obligations on general-purpose AI providers (a copyright-compliance policy and a sufficiently detailed summary of training content). Authors, musicians, performers, publishers and researchers can submit evidence directly until 3 November 2026, and the responses may shape future EU measures and the Commission's planned AI strategy for the cultural and creative sectors.

What is not yet known

The consultation announces no new rules and commits the Commission to no specific measure or timetable. Whether it leads to legislative proposals — for example on remuneration, opt-out design or transparency for training data — and how general-purpose AI providers will respond, remains to be seen.