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European Writers’ Council-Féderation des associations européennes d’écrivains

EWC - FAEE AISBL

The EWC AISBL pursues the following non-profit objectives of European and international utility: - inform and support its member organisations, defend the authors' rights and copyright, the authors’ economic and moral rights; to promote the professional and cultural interests and improve the legal and social status of writers and literary translators in the whole of Europe ; - to encourage debates in the fields of freedom of expression, artistic freedom, intellectual property and artistic creativity, social status, contractual and working conditions of writers and literary translators ; - to improve public awareness about copyright, authors' rights and the conditions of authors in Europe ; - to circulate pertinent information to its member organisations, particularly that relating to community initiatives in cultural, legal and regulatory matters.

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 Writers Council (EWC) AISBL, is a non-profit, non-governmental federation constituted by 53 national writers and literary translators associations from 34 countries. EWC members comprise over 250k professional authors in the text and book sector, writing and publishing altogether in 37 languages and in all genres. In a rapidly changing world where European values, as diversity of culture, are under pressure, for example by non-European Big Tech or autocracy-driven book bans, the European Union needs a DISTINCTIVE and ENSURED funding programme to strengthen European culture as one of the capital pillars upholding European values and cultural diversity. We welcome therefore the European Commissions commitment to strengthen the European cultural and creative sector and its proposal to allocate minimum 1.796 billion Euros to the Creative Europe Culture strand. However, the integration of 3 different programmes (the current Creative Europe and Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values CERV programmes) in AgoraEU 2028-2034 risks diluting its distinct parts and strands, making it more difficult to build on the established brand and successes of the current programmes. It is important to ensure a balanced allocation of funds between the different proposed strands in the new programme architecture. The Culture strand must therefore be visibly ring-fenced within AgoraEU and guaranteed in negotiations. In addition, distinct Creative Europe Culture Desks should be maintained, separate from CERV national contact points. The EWC emphasises the European Commissions proposal for an increased budget dedicated to the Culture strand. Current levels of funding are already insufficient to meet the demand for Creative Europe calls for applications. The programme is cost-effective and has a clear European value added: it concentrates funding in transnational partnerships, allowing cultural organisations to share resources, reduce costs, and develop shared solutions like common platforms, co-productions, or training. In relation to the Book sector, the EWC calls to ensure that proper funding for book professionals and literature promotion is allocated. The European Commissions proposed increased budget gives hope to expect opportunities to fund more specific programmes for the originator of the entire book sector, the writer. Authors and their work contribute in essential ways to the competitiveness of Europe regarding to the Culture Compass ideas and can be even more beneficial if allotted its own funding. The EWC is convinced that strengthen projects within the whole book chain, starting with the author, will enable citizens to have access to a wealth of books and empower them with the knowledge, skills and emotional intelligence needed to build a prosperous, competitive and resilient democratic Europe. In addition, the Creative Europe Culture strand should strictly follow the principle of funding only projects under appropriate professional and social working conditions in order to respect professional authors work. As lump sums become a default funding format, add a safeguard so that grant beneficiaries commit to providing fair pay and decent working conditions. The EWC will be available to policymakers at any time in the upcoming decision-making process to share its know-how and expertise in order to help develop an effective funding instrument for the book sector and the cultural sector as a whole.
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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

Response to European Data Union Strategy

16 Jul 2025

Please find the Feedback of the European Writers Council (EWC) on the Call for Evidence on European Data Union Strategy (Ares(2025)4163996) in the attached document. About: The European Writers Council (EWC) is the worlds largest representative body for only writers in the book sector with 53 writers organisations from 34 countries of the EU, the EEA and of non-EU areas, representing 250,000 writers and translators.
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Response to A Culture Compass for Europe

12 May 2025

The European Writers Council (EWC) AISBL, is a non-profit, non-governmental federation constituted by 50 national writers and literary translators associations from 32 countries. EWC members comprise over 220k professional authors in the text and book sector, writing and publishing altogether in 35 languages and in all genres. The 1+ million European book authors, originators of 600k new titles annually and generating a value of 35+ billion Euros in the book sector, have seen long existing problems grow exponentially due to the COVID-19 crisis and the development and use of generative AI (GAI). (1) LACK OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION ON AUTHORS RIGHTS AND COPYRIGHT! The EWC surveys* on the impact of the CDSM Directive (EU) 2019/790 and on Writers Contracts show a lack of enforcement mechanisms to achieve transparency and appropriate, proportionate remuneration. The mediation entities required by the CDSM Directive are lacking in all EU Member States (MS). However, no author dares to go to court for financial reasons or fear of blacklisting. The CDSM Directive placed great emphasis on associations so that they could e.g. recommend fees or clauses. However, there is no EU-wide adjustment in competition law since 2019 (associations arent allowed to advise their members or make public recommendations). The lack of mediation entities makes it impossible to revamp existing collective agreements or to establish new ones. (2) GAI AND THE DESTRUCTION OF AUTHORSHIP AND AUTHORS RIGHTS! The misinterpretation of the TDM exception under Art. 4(3) of the CDSM Directive by AI developers is leading to the mass exploitation of working hours, thus the investment of European professional writers. Clarification and impact assessment are needed, e.g. of the consequences on falling earnings due to job losses because of AI, on effects on social security payments and loss of skills and metiers. As long as the TDM exception continues to be misinterpreted, title-specific transparency on the part of AI developers must be ensured as an equivalent to the enforced reservation of rights for specific works. The template of the AI Act must not be an active inhibitor of transparency and thus of law enforcement. (3) WHO IS WHO: THE LACK OF GRANULARITY! An EU wide harmonisation of wording is needed regarding the legal necessary categorisation of authors, artists, performers, the social and professional situation or the legal and tax relevant attributions regarding independent working authors, e.g. (solo-)self-employees freelancers employees. Thus, the pandemic, in which half of the MS did not structurally provide any aid to self-employees or freelancers in culture, has shown that this was partly due to incomplete data. (4) CLOSE THE DATA GAP! To have appropriate measures or programmes applicable to authors, close the EU Data Gap. Authors deal with irregular income, unpaid working periods, investment on their own economic risk and to work often after official retiring age, while not having access to social security systems. A European Writers Report, conducted by the EU authorities together with European Federations, would be the basis for evidence and a greater coherence between EU financing instruments as well as a guide future actions on culture. (5) DIGITAL MONOPOLIES AND THEIR UNFAVOURABLE IMPACT! Only a few digital, largely non-European companies control Europe's communication structures. This allows them to dictate non-European values: The only criteria are marketability and success, rather than diversity of culture, especially from small languages. European authors become less visible and transparency is lacking. (6) INTEGRATE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF AUTHORS INTO POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING! The EWC calls on MS to integrate the experienced representatives of authors into political decision-making and to support their ability to conclude collective agreements. * EWC surveys: https://europeanwriterscouncil.eu/surveys/
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Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Google and

6 May 2025 · Copyright and generative AI

Meeting with Niklas Nienass (Member of the European Parliament)

19 Oct 2023 · Situation in the European book sector

Response to Evaluation of “Marrakesh” Directive and Regulation

11 May 2023

The European Writers' Council (EWC) is the world's only and largest representation of solely writers in the book sector and of all genres (fiction, non-fiction, academic, childrens book, poetry, etc.). With 46 organisations and professional guilds from 31 countries, the EWC represents 160,000 writers and translators whose works are published both European-wide and internationally. The European Writers' Council (EWC) expresses its gratitude to the leading Directorate General CNECT for the opportunity to respond to the Call for Evidence (Ref. Ares(2023)2622394) to evaluate the impact, efficiency and opportunities for improvement of the Marrakesh Treaty. Our member organisations will respond for their national-specific concerns individually within this consultation. Collectively, however, the EWC summarises t 4 points in regard to the interests of writers as sources of the book value chain, as as sources of every book made accessible within the framework of the Marrakesh Treaty and the EAA. You will find these statements in the document attached.
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Response to Virtual worlds, such as metaverse

3 May 2023

Contribution to the Call for Evidence by the European Writers' Council (EWC) AISBL Virtual worlds (metaverses) a vision for openness, safety and respect Related dodcument: Ref. Ares(2023)2474961 - 05/04/2023 The European Writers' Council (EWC) is the world's only and largest representation of solely writers in the book sector in all genres (fiction, non-fiction, academic, poetry, etc.). With 46 organisations and professional guilds from 31 countries, the EWC represents 160,000 writers and translators whose works are published both Europe-wide and internationally. We express our gratitude to be invited to share our perspectives with the responsible Unit DG CNECT of the European Commission. You find the complete statement in the attachment. Table of Content: Preamble (1) Future uses and legal issues (2) The question of virtual authorship (3) Remuneration, transparency and licensing channels (4) Law enforcement (5) Call for an additional framework of regulation with the European Authors in the center. (6) Labelling of AI in metaverse (7) Data protection of European Citizens Conclusio
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Meeting with Tomasz Frankowski (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European Disability Forum and

21 Mar 2023 · The future of the European book sector-consultation meeting with stakeholders

Meeting with Szabolcs Horvath (Cabinet of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics) and European Federation of Journalists and European Composer and Songwriter Alliance

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