IMPF statement on Joint Declaration 'Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe'

Brussels, 19th June 2026 The Presidents of the European Commission, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament have today signed the Joint Declaration on Culture “Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe”. This marks the first time in EU history that all three institutions have united behind a shared political commitment to culture.

The declaration is the first flagship milestone of the Culture Compass for Europe. It formally recognises culture as central to Europe’s democracy, identity, creativity and resilience. Furthermore, it signals the support of the three institutions towards key principles for cultural policies in Europe, including freedom of artistic expression, cultural rights, and fair working conditions for artists and cultural professionals – amongst others.

The full declaration can be found here: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-9202-2026-INIT/en/pdf

Please find the statement from IMPF in response to this moment below.

IMPF welcomes the Joint Declaration “Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe” and its commitment to place culture more firmly at the heart of European policymaking.

Independent music publishers play an essential role in investing in songwriters and composers, developing diverse European repertoire and bringing that music to audiences across borders. We therefore particularly welcome the Declaration’s recognition of the cultural and creative sectors as drivers of Europe’s identity, democracy, innovation, economic growth and competitiveness, alongside its support for cultural diversity, fair remuneration, discoverability and the circulation of European works.

The Declaration’s commitment to a human-centric and rights-based approach to artificial intelligence is especially important. Its explicit recognition that intellectual property rights must be protected, that the impact of AI on creators and fair remuneration must be addressed, and that greater transparency is needed between human- and AI-generated content provides an important political foundation.

That foundation must now be converted into concrete and enforceable actions. This should include full transparency regarding the use of copyrighted works by AI systems, prior authorisation and effective licensing, fair remuneration for songwriters, composers and their publishing partners, and clear responsibility across the AI value chain.

IMPF looks forward to working with the European institutions and Member States to ensure that the Declaration and its principles deliver meaningful results for Europe’s independent music publishers, and the songwriters and composers, they represent.