Brussels, June 16, 2025

We want to stress again the importance for all IMPALA members of making sure their rights are reserved in the context of AI training/machine learning.   

To best protect their rights, all copyright owners are advised to clarify their position on this as an additional guarantee. This is important as the use of copyrighted works for AI training or machine learning is subject to specific authorisations/licences which need to be secured in advance. We have added a page on this topic to our website.

• Check out our guidance on this, which you find in the members-only section of our website.  

• Copy/paste the draft text we have prepared for you onto your label website (it can be a dedicated page, with a simple link to it on the homepage). This is a simple step you should take to increase the protection of your rights from unauthorised use for the purposes of AI training or machine learning.  

• Association members are asked to share this guidance with their members, and all members should reserve their rights and let us know once their declarations have been published  (see recent examples from Beggars, Sugar & Merlin).  

• If you are a Merlin member, you should still publish your own declaration of rights reservation. 

IMPALA members are invited to reach out to the secretariat in case of any questions. 

About IMPALA
IMPALA was established in 2000 and now represents over 6000 independent music companies in Europe. 99% of Europe’s music companies are small, micro and medium businesses and self-releasing artists. Known as the independents, they are world leaders in terms of innovation and discovering new music and artists – they produce more than 80% of all new releases and account for 80% of the sector’s jobs. IMPALA’s mission is to grow the independent music sector sustainably, return more value to artists, promote diversity and entrepreneurship, improve political access, inspire change, and increase access to finance. IMPALA works on a range of key issues for its members and started a new co-funded work programme as an EU cultural network in 2025. IMPALA runs various award schemes and has a programme aimed at businesses who want to develop a strategic relationship with the European independent sector – Friends of IMPALA