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European Composer and Songwriter Alliance

ECSA

ECSA is a professional alliance representing over 30,000 composers and songwriters in Europe.

Lobbying Activity

Response to EU’s next long-term budget (MFF) – EU funding for cross-border education, training and solidarity, youth, media, culture, and creative sectors, values, and civil society

25 Nov 2025

The European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) represents over 30,000 professional music authors in 29 European countries. Its core mission is to defend and promote their rights and interests, with the aim of improving their social and economic conditions, and enhance their artistic freedom. We welcome the European Commissions proposal to establish AgoraEU. The proposed 1.796 billion allocation to the Creative Europe Culture strand (21% of AgoraEU) marks a positive step forward but must be viewed as a baseline to be safeguarded in the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) negotiations, not a ceiling. This allocation should be earmarked within AgoraEU to prevent funding from being redirected to other strands or ad-hoc priorities. We also encourage mainstreaming funding to culture and creativity across other MFF programmes, including the new Horizon Europe programme, European Competitiveness Fund, and other relevant EU instruments. The increased budget dedicated to the Creative Europe Culture strand also offers a unique opportunity to build a music sector-specific approach. Such approach has been supported by both EU Culture Ministers who advocated for sector tailored EU incentives, and by the European Parliament, which has advocated for a European industrial strategy for music. (EP resolution, 2023/2054(INI)). This would give to the European music sector the visibility, investment, and policy recognition it deserves. We therefore call for: - An explicit reference to music in the legal basis and work programmes of AgoraEU - Dedicated calls and programmes specifically targeting the music sector, including support for creators - A European Music Observatory to provide robust data on the music ecosystem and support evidence-based policymaking Among funding schemes of Creative Europe which have been maintained under the Culture strand, we welcomed the support to European networks, which play a crucial role in ensuring the representation of a broad spectrum of voices, including those of authors. We appreciate the Commissions emphasis on ensuring the full respect of artistic freedom and diversity of cultural expressions and the improvement of working conditions for artists, two priorities which are aligned with ECSAs Manifesto. While these measures are encouraging, we emphasise the need to consider the following aspects: - Guaranteeing adequate funding support for networks and organisations representing creators (authors and performers) - Encouraging initiatives dedicated to raising awareness of creators rights and related processes - Ensuring that EU public funding does not benefit entities that disregard creators rights or circumvent laws related to fair remuneration - Linking eligibility for public funding to compliance with the CDSM Directive, particularly the provisions on creators contracts outlined in Chapter 3 (Articles 1823) - Promote the responsible development and use of generative AI technologies in full respect of creators rights, and compliance with the principles of authorisation, remuneration, and transparency - Support initiatives that expand upon the EP recommendations to address structural imbalances in the music streaming ecosystem (including the improvement of metadata on streaming services, the impact of the high level of concentration in the music industry on the remuneration of authors, cultural diversity, and competition, transparency of algorithms and recommendations systems, etc). At a time when artistic freedom, fair working conditions, and cultural diversity are under increasing pressure, ambitious funding under the upcoming MFF must be matched with strategic, sector-specific policy action under AgoraEU. ECSA is eager to engage in a structured and regular dialogue with policymakers and stands ready to contribute its expertise towards effective solutions for the music sector and creators evolving needs.
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European music creators urge transparency in streaming algorithms

24 Oct 2025
Topic — The consultation seeks to address unfair digital practices and gaps in consumer protection.
Message — The organization requests transparency obligations for music streaming platforms to disclose how algorithmic recommendations and playlists function. They also call for an obligation to clearly label AI-generated content to prevent consumers from being deceived. Additionally, consumers should have the possibility to opt out of personalization practices based on their data.123
Why — Transparency would help creators assess their success and ensure they receive fair remuneration.4
Impact — Large platforms and labels would lose the ability to use opaque, biased algorithms.5
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Meeting with Desislava Dimitrova (Cabinet of Commissioner Glenn Micallef)

30 Sept 2025 · Introductory meeting

Meeting with Emma Rafowicz (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Sept 2025 · CULT/Musical sector

Meeting with Victor Negrescu (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Sept 2025 · Meeting with European Composer and Songwriter Alliance on Copyright and Generative AI

Meeting with Nela Riehl (Member of the European Parliament, Committee chair) and Society of Audiovisual Authors and

3 Sept 2025 · Stakeholder Roundtable on Creators & Performers

Meeting with David Cormand (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

8 Jul 2025 · Copyright/authors’ rights and broader Intellectual Property Policy

Response to A Culture Compass for Europe

28 May 2025

The European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) represents over 30,000 professional music authors in 28 countries, across the EU and beyond. ECSA welcomes the European Commissions plan to develop a Culture Compass for Europe, especially the emphasis on working conditions for artists and cultural professionals. Music authors are the creative foundation of all musical works. Without composers and songwriters, there would be no songs, no compositions, and ultimately no music industry. However, they are frequently confronted with insecure economic and social conditions including precarious working conditions, low and fluctuating income, and weak bargaining power with their negotiating counterparts, placing them in a position of vulnerability and insecurity. Addressing these challenges as well as the threats to cultural diversity and artistic freedom should be central to an ambitious Culture Compass that combines an overarching approach based on ethical and fair principles with tangible and concrete policy measures in line with those principles. ECSA considers that this strategic framework should primarily base itself on recent EU initiatives such as the EP reports on the social and professional situation of artists in the cultural and creative sectors (2023/2051(INL)) and on cultural diversity and the conditions for authors in the European music streaming market (2023/2054(INI)), the OMC report on the status and working conditions of artists and cultural and creative professionals and the recent Council conclusions on supporting young artists and cultural and creative professionals, among others. Regarding the challenges related to social and cultural policies, ECSA fully supports EU initiatives aimed at coordinating and enhancing the social protection of creators as well as measures to promote cultural diversity, despite the limited competences of the EU in those areas. At the same time, our Alliance urges the European Commission to use all its powers in the frame of its competences, notably on copyright, internal market and digital policies, to improve the working conditions of music authors and achieve concrete progress in securing fair remuneration and promoting fair contractual practices across the EU. In this context, ECSA recently adopted its Manifesto outlining four key priorities for EU policy makers: Ensuring generative AI respects the rights of creators, and the fundamental principles of consent, transparency and remuneration ; Fixing music streaming and make it sustainable for music creators ; Ensuring fair and balanced contracts to improve the working conditions of composers and songwriters ; Adopting a comprehensive strategy to ensure the sustainability of the European music sector, as outlined by the 2024 One Voice for European Music report. The extended version attached provides a detailed explanation of those four recommendations, along with ECSA's Manifesto. Overall, it is essential to carry out the development of the Culture Compass in close collaboration with representative organisations of authors to ensure it truly reflects the realities and needs of music creators. ECSA is eager to engage in a structured and regular dialogue with the European Commission and stands ready to contribute its expertise towards effective solutions for the music sector and creators evolving needs.
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Meeting with Tiemo Wölken (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and DIGITALEUROPE

23 May 2025 · KI & Urheberrecht

Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Google and

6 May 2025 · Copyright and generative AI

Meeting with Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Feb 2025 · Rights of music authors in the EU

Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

6 Feb 2025 · Copyright and generative AI

Meeting with Sandro Ruotolo (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Feb 2025 · GPAI code of practice

Meeting with José Cepeda (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Feb 2025 · General creators' sector concerns

Meeting with Manuela Ripa (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Feb 2025 · Copyright/Creators' Rights

Meeting with Georg Haeusler (Director Education, Youth, Sport and Culture)

5 Feb 2025 · Exchange of views

Meeting with Renate Nikolay (Deputy Director-General Communications Networks, Content and Technology) and Verein der Europäischen Bürgerwissenschaften e.V. / European Citizen Science Association

5 Feb 2025 · Developments in the music market: AI and copyright, contractual practices, music streaming

Meeting with Emma Rafowicz (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Dec 2024 · Musique

Meeting with Hannes Heide (Member of the European Parliament)

23 Oct 2024 · Exchange of views on cultural policy

Meeting with Kristian Vigenin (Member of the European Parliament)

23 Oct 2024 · AI and copyright

Meeting with Sergey Lagodinsky (Member of the European Parliament)

22 Oct 2024 · Exchange of views

Meeting with Niklas Nienass (Member of the European Parliament) and Spotify and Association of European Performers’ Organisations

8 Jun 2023 · Stakeholder meeting: European music streaming sector

Meeting with Domènec Ruiz Devesa (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

24 Apr 2023 · INL EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors

Response to Collective bargaining agreements for self-employed – scope of application EU competition rules

8 Feb 2021

Please find attached the joint ECSA (European Composer and Songwriter Alliance), FERA (Federation of European Screen Directors) and FSE (Federation of Screenwriters in Europe) comments on the European Commission’s inception impact assessment regarding collective bargaining agreements for self-employed and the scope of application of EU competition rules.
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Meeting with Manuel Mateo Goyet (Cabinet of Commissioner Mariya Gabriel)

29 Oct 2018 · Copyright

Meeting with Szabolcs Horvath (Cabinet of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics) and European Federation of Journalists and European Writers’ Council-Féderation des associations européennes d’écrivains

5 Jul 2016 · Digital Single Market

Meeting with Tibor Navracsics (Commissioner) and European Federation of Journalists and

2 May 2016 · Fair remuneration of authors

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner) and European Federation of Journalists and

2 Mar 2016 · Copyright

Meeting with Stig Joergen Gren (Cabinet of Vice-President Andrus Ansip) and European Federation of Journalists and

18 Feb 2016 · copyright

Meeting with Andrus Ansip (Vice-President) and

25 Jan 2016 · Copyright, platforms

Meeting with Christian Burgsmueller (Cabinet of Vice-President Cecilia Malmström)

11 Sept 2015 · TTIP

Meeting with Pauline Rouch (Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker)

8 Dec 2014 · Digital Single Market