How can the EU position itself as a global leader in AI while ensuring innovation aligns with European values and competitiveness?
Maxime Ricard: The EU must prioritise access to broad and varied data for research and innovation. Such data is vital for training reliable, unbiased AI models, directly influencing Europe’s competitiveness. The Union should promote open data policies, interoperability across Member States, and invest in knowledge valorisation to translate research into real-world benefits, from new medicines to climate solutions. Public-private collaboration is equally essential. EARE’s membership – universities, researchers, libraries, start-ups, and AI companies – shows how diverse actors can work together to advance European innovation. United in diversity, Europe can lead in responsible AI development.
José Cepeda: The EU must lead globally by anchoring AI development to fundamental rights, democracy, and the rule of law. As Rapporteur for the Council of Europe Convention on AI, which is the first binding international AI treaty, I believe Europe’s leadership lies not only in technology but in setting global ethical standards. Aligning innovation with safeguards builds trust, legal certainty, and competitiveness. By fostering responsible inno- vation, supporting SMEs, and ensuring global interoperability, the EU can shape a digital future that is both fair and dynamic. This is our chance to lead by principle and by example.
Ambiguous mechanisms only create more uncertainty for researchers. Above all, policymakers must listen to the research community to unlock Europe’s full innovation potential
Is the EU doing enough to support AI research and innovation, and what are the biggest challenges?
MR: The EU’s recent initiatives, like the AI Continent Action Plan, Apply AI Strategy, and RAISE (Resource for AI Science in Europe), show strong ambition to consolidate Europe’s leadership in AI research. These programmes, alongside future frameworks such as the European Research Act, will strengthen Europe’s “fifth freedom”: the free movement of knowledge.
Yet challenges persist. Researchers still face major barriers to data access, as highlighted in EARE’s manifesto. Limited access to datasets undermines large-scale analysis and innovation. Paywalls and licensing restrictions continue to prevent effective use of data even when rights exist. Another barrier is legal uncertainty: fragmented implementation of the Copyright Directive discourages researchers from using AI tools due to fear of infringement. The upcoming review must address these issues and reaffirm Text and Data Mining (TDM) exceptions as vital enablers of innovation.
JC: The EU has advanced AI research through Horizon Europe and Digital Europe, but we need stronger coordination and investment to compete globally. Fragmentation, limited data access, and skills shortages continue to hinder progress. Europe must bridge the gap between its regulatory leadership and its technological capacity. That means creating a common European data space, strengthening public-private partnerships, and supporting ethical AI through tools like the AI Liability Directive. We must also invest in people: expanding AI literacy, attracting global talent, and providing access to high-performance computing. To lead responsibly, Europe must treat AI as a strategic ecosystem connecting research, industry, and security.
What improvements are needed in the current European data and copyright framework to support research and innovation?
MR: To overcome barriers to data access, the EU must adopt harmonised open data policies and fully implement TDM exceptions under the Copyright Directive. These are essential for scientific progress and Europe’s global competitiveness. Uncertainty between “commercial” and “non-commercial” research creates confusion and discourages public-private collaboration. The EU should move beyond this distinction and align copyright policy with modern research realities, which rely on mixed funding and cross-border partnerships.
Opt-outs from TDM exceptions should be clearly defined and machine-readable to avoid ambiguity. Ambiguous mechanisms only create more uncertainty for researchers. Above all, policymakers must listen to the research community to unlock Europe’s full innovation potential.
JC: To unlock AI’s full potential, data and copyright frameworks must support innovation while protecting rights. Access to diverse, interoperable datasets is essential for trustworthy AI. In the European Parliament’s report on copyright and generative AI, I have advocated maintaining research exceptions under Article 3 and ensuring that access to quality training data is preserved. A balanced, innovation-friendly approach will be one that respects creators while enabling scientific progress and is crucial for Europe’s digital sovereignty and competitiveness.
As Rapporteur for the Council of Europe Convention on AI, which is the first binding international AI treaty, I believe Europe’s leadership lies not only in technology but in setting global ethical standards
What steps can Europe take to keep its AI sector competitive with the U.S., Asia, and other innovation hubs?
MR: To remain competitive, the EU must prioritise open data access and flexible frameworks for researchers. The upcoming European Data Union Strategy should ensure European AI tools are accurate, reproducible, and bias-free. Europe should also adopt EU-wide Secondary Publication Rights to guarantee immediate access to publicly funded research and properly implement TDM exceptions. Instead of new laws, the focus should be on enforcing existing rules effectively.
Working with developers and right- sholders to establish clear, machine-readable opt-out standards will enhance legal certainty. Finally, Europe must embrace public-private collaboration beyond outdated commercial distinctions to attract investment and strengthen future AI champions.
JC: Europe must pair strategic investment with regulatory clarity and ethical leadership to compete globally. We need to expand access to AI infrastructure such as computing power, data centres, quantum capabilities, particularly for SMEs and start-ups.
Streamlined regulation should provide certainty without stifling experimentation. Investment in education and researcher mobility will strengthen Europe’s talent base.
Lastly, Europe must forge strong international partnerships and promote its human-centric AI model worldwide. Our competitive edge lies in turning our ethical standards into global benchmarks.
Find out about EARE policy priorities for the 2024-2029 mandate
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