Big Tech vs. Belgium’s Creator-Pay Law: A Battle at the EU Court
Google, Meta, Spotify, and Sony are locked in a legal battle with Belgium over its copyright law, taking their dispute to the EU’s top court. They argue that the legislation goes beyond what the European Union intended, forcing platforms to compensate creators far more than necessary.
The Core Issue:
On July 7, 2026, these tech giants filed a case against Belgium, claiming its copyright law imposes unnecessary obligations on their platforms regarding creator compensation. They believe the country has rewritten the EU’s 2019 copyright directive to favor creators and publishers unfairly.
Belgium’s Defense:
Belgium, supported by several other EU member states, maintains that the law merely aims to provide fairer compensation for creators whose work is shared online. The dispute revolves around specific additions made by Belgium to the original directive:
- Mandatory negotiations
- Disclosure duties
- Compulsory payments for certain creators
Tech Giants’ Concerns:
- Google argues that the law disrupts the balance between online platforms and content creators. They highlight their existing licensing deals with press publications and YouTube’s compensation for music firms and creators, claiming the Belgian law forces them into binding payment talks and requests sensitive business data before proof of content usage is provided.
- Meta challenges the blurring of lines between platform hosts and content publishers, asserting that Facebook does not select content but rather allows users to do so.
- Spotify and Sony are concerned about a clause granting authors and performers an additional top-up right after licensing through labels and collecting societies, which they believe could lead to double payments for the same stream.
The Implications:
The outcome of this case is significant not only for these tech companies but also for content creators and platforms across Europe. It will determine the extent to which member states can enact tougher copyright rules than those set by Brussels. The EU’s Advocate General, Maciej Szpunar, will deliver his opinion on November 19, with a final ruling expected later.