AIG Newsletter 16 March 2026

NEWS

In this week's bumper edition: The EP CULT Committee publishes a draft report outlining a new media literacy & digital learning strategy. The Commission publishes a second draft of the Code of Practice on marking and labelling of AI-generated content. The EP adopts an own-initiative report on copyright and generative AI and the EP LIBE Committee exchanges views on AI and media pluralism. The EC hosts its first special panel on child safety online and the EP IMCO Committee adopts its opinion on the impact of social media and the online environment on young people. Finally, two TRIS notifications from Poland reveal the Member State is pursuing a ban on alcohol advertising while the latest report from the Audiovisual Observatory discusses junk-food advertising.

EP CULT PUBLISHES NEW MEDIA LITERACY & DIGITAL LEARNING STRATEGY

The EP CULT Committee has published a draft report, urging stronger, more coordinated action across education, media regulation, and platform governance to help citizens tackle disinformation, online manipulation, cyberbullying, and AI-generated content. The draft will be discussed in the Committee on 18 March.

SECOND DRAFT OF GEN AI CONTENT CODE OF PRACTICE IS PUBLISHED

On 5 March, the EC published the second draft of its Code of Practice on marking and labelling AI-generated content, aiming to reduce compliance burdens whilst improving flexibility and legal clarity. The revised text promoted open standards and proposed a common EU icon to simplify compliance. Section 1 addressed providers of generative AI systems under Article 50(2) of the AI Act, and introduced a dual-layer marking method combining secure metadata and watermarking. Section 2 targeted deployers, particularly regarding deepfake and AI-generated text labelling under Article 50(4), and offered a more pragmatic framework that removed the previous distinction between AI-generated and AI-assisted content. It also set out design and placement criteria for icons and disclaimers. The feedback window is open until 30 March.

EP ADOPTS COPYRIGHT & GENERATIVE AI INI

On 10 March, the EP adopted an own-initiative report on copyright and generative AI. The report recommended that copyrighted works used to train AI systems must be fairly remunerated and that EU copyright rules should apply to all generative AI on the EU market regardless of where training took place. MEPs called on the EC to explore mechanisms for remuneration of past uses whilst rejecting a flat-rate global licence for AI training. The report also demanded greater transparency, including itemised lists of training materials and detailed records of data crawling activity, and supported a new licensing market featuring voluntary collective licensing and an EU-wide opt-out mechanism for rightsholders, potentially administered by the EUIPO. 

EP LIBE EXCHANGES VIEWS ON AI AND MEDIA PLURALISM

The EP LIBE Committee held an exchange of views on 2 March examining how AI is affecting media pluralism, editorial independence, and democratic debate. Contributors raised concerns that AI-powered search and content curation narrowed the range of sources citizens encountered, undermined media business models, and amplified the influence of major platforms over access to information. The discussion also noted that sensationalist content tended to outperform quality journalism, whilst AI-generated summaries and personalised content risked weakening the relationship between outlets and their audiences. 

EC HOLDS FIRST SPECIAL PANEL ON CHILD SAFETY ONLINE

On 5 March, the EC held the first meeting of its Special Panel on child safety online, hosted by President von der Leyen, with future sessions to include youth representatives and organisations from relevant sectors. Participants discussed the risks minors face online and reviewed existing protection measures at EU and national levels. Upcoming panels will examine the benefits of the online environment for children alongside prevention measures, with the series concluding in a report containing recommendations to be presented to the EC by summer.

EP IMCO ADOPTS IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUNG PEOPLE OPINION

The EP IMCO Committee adopted its opinion on the impact of social media and the online environment on young people on 26 February. Key proposals in the opinion included: stronger and more coherent enforcement of existing legislation (GDPR, DSA, AVMSD, AI Act, UCPD); a forthcoming Digital Fairness Act to tackle addictive design, dark patterns, loot boxes and influencer marketing; a harmonised EU digital age limit of 16 as a default for social media access (with an absolute floor of 13); privacy-preserving age assurance mechanisms linked to the EU Digital Identity Wallet; tighter regulation of AI companions, chatbots and recommender systems targeting minors; and greater platform accountability, including potential personal liability for senior management in cases of persistent non-compliance. 

TRIS NOTIFICATIONS REVEAL POLAND SEEKS BAN ON ALCOHOL ADVERTISING

Two related Polish Draft Acts amending the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism have been notified under TRIS (notifications 2026/0016/PL and 2026/0033/PL). The draft Acts introduce core advertising prohibitions and extend them to non-alcoholic beverages. The former is the more comprehensive instrument and also contains packaging content restrictions, new branding prohibitions, an extended definition of non-alcoholic beverages, container size and material requirements, and mandatory health warnings. Only 2026/0016/PL amends the Act on Radio and Television Broadcasting, giving it direct implications under the AVMSD, whereas 2026/0033/PL amends the Act on Publicly Funded Healthcare Services.

EU AUDIOVISUAL OBSERVATORY REPORT ON JUNK-FOOD ADVERTISIN

On 11 March, the European Audiovisual Observatory published a report examining the regulation of audiovisual commercial communications (ACCs) for HFSS foods and beverages across EU and selected non-EU countries, focusing on how Articles 9(4) and 28b(2) of the AVMSD have been transposed into national law. The fact that HFSS products are subject to a softer obligation on member states to promote self-regulation has resulted in a diverse patchwork of national approaches in which responsibility for developing codes of conduct falls on AVMS providers, SROs, or national regulatory authorities. The report also highlighted a growing recognition of influencer marketing as a gap in existing frameworks.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

17 March: Cross-regulatory interplay and cooperation in the EU: a data protection perspective(EDPB) 

18 March: EC expected to publish the 28th regime

18 March: EP CULT meets to discuss a new strategy for media literacy and digital learning

18 March: Europe Retail Media Certification Programme Webinar (IAB Europe)

23 March: EP CULT meets to hear from the joint Working Group on the implementation and enforcement of the AI Act

24 March: Industry Insider - More eyes, less margin (IAB Europe & IAS)

25 March: AIG Exchange Partners Meeting

27 March: EDPB stakeholder event on political advertising - express your interest by 9 February by registering here.

1 May: Deadline to respond to the AVMSD Consultation.