The European Commission has announced a review of the current European copyright framework for this summer and has already launched a consultation process. A key question in this review is how licensing frameworks for AI training should be designed – in particular, whether voluntary licensing and collective rights management can provide effective and legally sound solutions. For eco – Association of the Internet Industry, this question is central to the future of innovation and a functioning licensing market in Europe.

Against this backdrop, we would be delighted to welcome you to our roundtable discussion, “The Future of AI training and Copyright Licensing in Europe” (held in English), taking place from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm at our Berlin office (Französische Straße 48, 10117 Berlin).

The event will feature a keynote address by Professor Daniel Gervais of Vanderbilt University. In a recent study, he examined whether compulsory licensing mechanisms are legally viable and economically sound, and to what extent voluntary licensing and collective rights management can offer effective alternatives. During the roundtable, he will present his key findings and policy recommendations.

Following the keynote, we look forward to an open exchange with representatives from politics, public administration, industry, and the eco membership community on how a functioning licensing framework for AI training can be shaped in Europe. We would be very pleased to welcome you to this discussion. Should you be unable to attend, we would appreciate it if you could share this invitation with interested colleagues within your organisation.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Proposed Agenda

• Welcome and introduction by eco (2–3 minutes)
• Keynote presentation by Professor Gervais (25–30 minutes)
• Short statement by Meta (2–3 minutes)
• Moderated discussion and Q&A with Professor Gervais and participants (approximately 50 minutes)