The EUIPO launches the Copyright Knowledge Centre for guidance amid rise of generative AI

• The Centre aims to help creators and rights holders navigate copyright in today’s technological landscape
• The EUIPO is collaborating with the European Commission and other key players on possible solutions
• The opening of the Centre coincides with the EUIPO’s first-ever conference on copyright
• Copyright-intensive industries generate nearly 7% of the EU’s GDP and support more than 17 million jobs across the EU

ALICANTE – The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has today launched the EUIPO Copyright Knowledge Centre, a new platform that brings together resources, provides guidance, and develops tools to help creators and copyright holders better protect and enforce their rights in the digital age.

With artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforming the creative landscape and a varied legal framework for copyright in Europe, the EUIPO Copyright Knowledge Centre aims to bring clarity on ways to protect and respect copyrighted works and to reward the creators behind them.

The Centre also serves as a hub for creators, developers, and institutions to share insights and trends, exchange views on challenges, identify gaps, and explore collaboration opportunities, while seeking technical solutions to the emerging challenges posed by generative AI.

The launch follows the publication of the EUIPO study ‘The development of generative artificial intelligence from a copyright perspective‘. This comprehensive analysis addresses key questions such as how AI uses protected content, which legal frameworks apply, how to identify AI-generated content, and how rights holders can reserve their rights or exclude their content from AI training (commonly known as ‘opting out’).

The launch of the new Centre coincides with the EUIPO’s first Conference on Copyright at its Alicante headquarters on 20-21 November, dedicated to exploring the key issues shaping the future of the copyright landscape.

A single gateway for copyright knowledge in the EU

The launch of the Centre is a key priority under the EUIPO’s Strategic Plan 2030. As part of its pledge to create an inclusive intellectual property landscape in Europe, the EUIPO calls for a renewed focus on copyright, aiming to provide a ‘home’ for copyright in Europe.

The mission of the Centre is threefold: to inform citizens, creators, and businesses on how to protect and value their copyright, particularly in the context of new and emerging technologies; to engage with creative and innovative sectors to address evolving needs; and to explore new services that enhance copyright transparency and accessibility across the Single Market.

Commenting on the launch, João Negrão, Executive Director of the EUIPO, said: “The EUIPO Copyright Knowledge Centre is a new space – and a new step – to support creators, inform policy, and navigate the challenges and opportunities of the digital age. The Centre will also look ahead, exploring how copyright can continue to serve the creators of tomorrow, while strengthening Europe’s cultural vitality, innovation, and economic competitiveness. In doing so, the Centre will become the home for copyright in the European Union.”

Hosted on the EUIPO’s website, the Centre brings together existing initiatives and resources, including links to the EUIPO copyright-related databases, along with training materials, copyright case-law, and the latest data on copyright infringement.

The Centre also features a new EU interactive copyright map that compiles information from all Member States on copyright legislation, competent authorities, and licensing schemes.

Copyright: A cornerstone of Europe’s creative economy

Copyright safeguards creators’ rights and enables lawful access to creative works. It is also a vital driver of innovation and culture in the EU. A study conducted by the EUIPO and the European Patent Office in 2022 found that copyright-intensive industries contribute significantly to the European economy, accounting for 6.9% of the EU’s GDP and employing over 17 million people.

As digital technologies evolve, the importance of robust copyright frameworks becomes increasingly important for the economy and society.

Next steps

Through its Copyright Knowledge Centre, the EUIPO will continue to strengthen stakeholder engagement in the coming years, fostering expert cooperation and exchanges with national authorities.

One of the initiatives being explored is developing a CopyrightView service to improve access to information on copyright status, authorship, and ownership of rights in Europe.

The EUIPO will also continue supporting the European Commission on assessing the feasibility of creating a digital registry for text and data mining (TDM) opt-outs, which would enable right holders to record and manage their decision to reserve their rights from TDM of their works by AI developers.

These strategic areas build on the EUIPO’s decade-long experience in copyright enforcement, public awareness, and database management, and reflect its commitment to help shape copyright policy and tools to make it work in the digital age.

EUIPO’s work on copyright

The EUIPO has been active in the field of copyright since 2012. Through the work of the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, the EUIPO is entrusted with the management of two copyright databases: the Out-Of-Commerce Works Portal and the Orphan Works Database, both of which help access and preserve Europe’s cultural heritage.

The EUIPO has also made available a wide collection of courses, webinars, and e-learning modules on copyright and related rights, and has carried out numerous studies on copyright and emerging technologies, as well as on the impact of copyright infringement in the EU.

Other initiatives include the Agorateka platform, a gateway to access legal online offers of digital content in the EU, and a range of awareness-raising campaigns aimed at fostering a culture of respect for copyright among citizens and, in particular, young people.

Finally, the EUIPO monitors the application of the European Commission’s Recommendation on Live Event Piracy, and it has created a targeted network of national administrations’ experts to combat piracy.

Access the EUIPO Copyright Knowledge Centre (link available as of 6:00 pm on November 20).

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