AEPO-ARTIS warmly welcomes the signature of the Joint Declaration on Culture, “Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe”, by the Presidents of the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union.
Europe’s cultural and creative sectors are among its greatest assets. The declaration echoes the views of AEPO-ARTIS that artists and cultural professionals are “at the heart of our cultural and creative sectors and industries” and that “fair remuneration and adequate working conditions are fundamental to artistic freedom and cultural diversity”.
Performers play a central role in this ecosystem, ensuring that cultural works reach audiences and remain culturally and linguistically diverse across Europe. Their contribution is essential to sustaining cultural diversity and strengthening public engagement with culture. Achieving these objectives requires robust policy initiatives, effective enforcement of rights and sustained public support.
When addressing AI we are pleased to see adjectives such as “ethical, sustainable and responsible” as well as “fair human-centric and rights-based approach”, but perhaps the most welcome part of the declaration is the commitment to “protecting intellectual property rights, by addressing the impacts of AI on creators and their fair remuneration while embracing innovation.”
We are at a moment where there is great uncertainty over whether creators will share in the revenue that producers and GenAI model and service providers will derive from the exploitation of the talents of performers and other creators. This part of the declaration sends a clear political signal that future policy and legislation must remain centred on human creativity and that technological innovation cannot come at the expense of performers and other creative professionals.
As the European Commission reviews the CDSM Directive and develops future initiatives concerning AI and copyright, the declaration is a reminder that work still needs to be done to achieve the goals it contains. AEPO-ARTIS calls for effective protection for performers and other creators in the digital environment and ensure that the value generated by the use of creative works and performances is fairly shared with those who create them.
AEPO-ARTIS looks forward to working with the European institutions and Member States to ensure that these words are turned into actions.
