2025-05-212024/25:NU21 · p.2NUBusiness & energy
Copyright and AI
What's at stake: AI services are currently trained on large amounts of copyrighted material without the creators' consent or a share of the value generated, affecting authors, visual artists, composers, musicians, actors and filmmakers.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the government should urgently launch an inquiry to strengthen the rights of authors and performing artists in step with AI development, or whether the matter should be considered already addressed by ongoing work and existing law.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions calling for stronger copyright protection in light of AI development and points to ongoing work, existing law and previous positions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 3 (MP)
The reservation holds that AI is trained on large amounts of copyrighted material without creators' consent and without them sharing in the economic value generated, and wants the government to urgently launch an inquiry to review the legislation and safeguard the rights of authors and performing artists, while also pushing for a review of copyright law within the EU.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 3 by MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Abstain 0/0/93/13 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/15/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Abstain 0/0/63/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2024/25:1451 by Tobias Andersson et al. (SD) point 8, 2024/25:1774 by Mats Berglund et al. (MP) point 26, 2024/25:2617 by Elin Söderberg et al. (MP) points 6 and 7, 2024/25:3110 by Lawen Redar et al. (S) point 34 and 2024/25:3136 by Fredrik Olovsson et al. (S) point 22.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:1451 av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD) yrkande 8, 2024/25:1774 av Mats Berglund m.fl. (MP) yrkande 26, 2024/25:2617 av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 6 och 7, 2024/25:3110 av Lawen Redar m.fl. (S) yrkande 34 och 2024/25:3136 av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S) yrkande 22.
Riksdag decision: Parliament approved the government's proposal on an amendment to the law on copyright in literary and artistic works. The proposal means that radio and television companies are included in the compensation scheme for private copying and are given the same right to compensation as other entitled rights holders. The proposal aims to adapt Swedish law to a judgment from the EU Court of Justice. The government also proposes a legislative amendment that clarifies the government's ability to determine how the copyright law should be applied in certain cases. The legislative amendments regarding radio and television companies enter into force on January 1, 2026, and the legislative amendment with the clarification enters into force on July 1, 2025. Parliament also rejected approximately 40 proposals in motions from the general motion period 2024. The proposals concern various intellectual property rights issues such as copyright in light of the development of artificial intelligence (AI), measures against patent infringement and knowledge-promoting efforts in the field of intellectual property rights. Parliament refers, among other things, to ongoing work and current law.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to conduct an investigation to secure copyright holders' and performers' rights in the light of AI development. (MP) — Reservation 3
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan wants cultural policy to create good economic conditions for both institutions and independent culture and that culture stand free from commercial steering, whilst it opposes tech giants that make themselves indispensable.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants cultural policy to create good economic conditions for both institutions and independent culture and that culture stand free from commercial steering, whilst it opposes tech giants that make themselves indispensable. Training AI on copyright-protected material without creators' consent or share of the value hits both commitments, which speaks for swift review of the legislation.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att kulturpolitiken skapar goda ekonomiska villkor för såväl institutioner som den fria kulturen och att kulturen står fri från affärsmässig styrning, samtidigt som den vänder sig mot techjättar som gör sig oundgängliga. Att AI tränas på upphovsrättsskyddat material utan skaparnas medgivande eller andel i värdet träffar båda åtagandena, vilket talar för en skyndsam översyn av lagstiftningen.
- good conditions for culture creatorsdecisive»Kulturpolitiken behöver skapa goda ekonomiska villkor för såväl« (party programme ↗)“Cultural policy needs to create good economic conditions for both”
- resistance to tech giants»techjättarna tvärtom försöker göra sig oundgängliga.« (party programme ↗)“tech giants instead try to make themselves indispensable.”
- culture free from commercial steering»samhället och står fria från både politisk och affärsmässig styrning.« (party programme ↗)“society and stand free from both political and commercial steering.”
- independent culture»Vänsterpartiet försvarar den oberoende kulturen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party defends independent culture.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme makes it a task for cultural policy to protect artistic copyright and to give artists real opportunities to make a living.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme makes it a task for cultural policy to protect artistic copyright and to give artists real opportunities to make a living. That AI is trained on protected material without consent or compensation hits precisely that right. The election manifesto wants a free and independent cultural life and sees the EU as the tool for transnational problems. The plan therefore supports the requirement for a prompt review.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet gör det till en uppgift för kulturpolitiken att slå vakt om den konstnärliga upphovsrätten och att ge konstnärer reella möjligheter att försörja sig. Att AI tränas på skyddat material utan medgivande eller ersättning träffar just den rätten. Valmanifestet vill ha ett fritt och obundet kulturliv och ser EU som verktyget för gränsöverskridande problem. Planen stöder därför kravet på en skyndsam översyn.
- protect artistic copyrightdecisive»En viktig del av detta är att slå vakt om den konstnärliga« (party programme ↗)“An important part of this is to protect artistic”
- support for artists»Samhället ska stödja kulturlivet och ge konstnärer inom alla konstarter« (party programme ↗)“Society must support cultural life and give artists in all art forms”
- free cultural life»Sverige ska ha ett levande, fritt och obundet kulturliv som både stärker samhörigheten och utmanar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden must have a living, free and independent cultural life that both strengthens community and challenges.”
- EU as tool»Vi är övertygade om att EU-samarbetet är grunden för att lösa många av vår tids svåraste problem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We are convinced that EU cooperation is the foundation for solving many of our time's most difficult problems.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The election manifesto wants to modernize copyright to protect the rights of cultural creators and improve their economic conditions.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to modernize copyright to protect the rights of cultural creators and improve their economic conditions. The party programme states that copyright holders should have the right to reasonable remuneration and that legislation should be adapted to today's society. A prompt review of copyright in light of AI follows directly from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill modernisera upphovsrätten så att kulturskaparnas rättigheter värnas och förbättra deras ekonomiska villkor. Partiprogrammet slår fast att upphovsmän ska ha rätt till en rimlig ersättning och att lagstiftningen ska vara anpassad till dagens samhälle. En skyndsam översyn av upphovsrätten i ljuset av AI följer direkt av dessa åtaganden.
- modernized copyrightdecisive»förbättra kulturskaparnas ekonomiska och sociala villkor och modernisera upphovsrätten så att kulturskaparnas rättigheter värnas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“improve the economic and social conditions of cultural creators and modernize copyright to protect the rights of cultural creators.”
- reasonable remuneration for copyright holders»Kopiering och fildelning för privat bruk ska inte vara straffbart, samtidigt som upphovsmän ska ha rätt till en rimlig ersättning.« (party programme ↗)“Copying and file sharing for private use should not be punishable, while copyright holders should have the right to reasonable remuneration.”
- copyright adapted to the times»Miljöpartiet de gröna vill se en upphovsrättslagstiftning, anpassad till dagens samhälle, som främjar kulturskapande i både klassiska och nya former.« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party wants to see copyright legislation, adapted to today's society, that promotes cultural creation in both classical and new forms.”
- artistic freedom»Kulturpolitiken ska grundas på respekt för den konstnärliga friheten och yttrandefriheten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Cultural policy should be based on respect for artistic freedom and freedom of expression”
The party programme establishes that creators' right to receive compensation for their work must be secured and that digitalization challenges the traditional view of copyright, which therefore must be developed.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that creators' right to receive compensation for their work must be secured and that digitalization challenges the traditional view of copyright, which therefore must be developed. AI training on protected material without permission or compensation is precisely such a new circumstance. A prompt review of the legislation is therefore in line with the plan, which at the same time urges caution with new regulation.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att upphovsmännens rätt att få ersättning för sitt arbete måste säkras och att digitaliseringen utmanar den traditionella synen på upphovsrätten, som därför måste utvecklas. AI-träning på skyddat material utan medgivande eller ersättning är precis en sådan ny omständighet. En skyndsam översyn av lagstiftningen ligger därför i linje med planen, som samtidigt manar till varsamhet med ny reglering.
- compensation to creatorsdecisive»upphovsmännens rätt att få ersättning för sitt arbete måste säkras.« (party programme ↗)“creators' right to receive compensation for their work must be secured.”
- copyright must be developed»Digitaliseringen utmanar den traditionella synen på upphovsrätten.« (party programme ↗)“Digitalization challenges the traditional view of copyright.”
- artistic freedom»Den akademiska och konstnärliga friheten liksom den fria kulturen är grundbultar i ett vitalt civilsamhälle.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Academic and artistic freedom as well as free culture are cornerstones of a vital civil society.”
- caution with internet regulation»Centerpartiet motsätter sig en ökad reglering av internet.« (party programme ↗)“The Centre Party opposes increased regulation of the internet.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme establishes that copyright must be adapted to new technology and new distribution forms and that artistic creation of high quality should have good conditions.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that copyright must be adapted to new technology and new distribution forms and that artistic creation of high quality should have good conditions. Artistic freedom should be protected. A prompt review of legislation due to AI and active action within the EU therefore follow from the plan's commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att upphovsrätten måste anpassas till ny teknik och nya distributionsformer och att konstnärligt skapande av hög kvalitet ska ha goda villkor. Den konstnärliga friheten ska värnas. En skyndsam översyn av lagstiftningen med anledning av AI, och ett drivande agerande inom EU, följer därför av planens åtaganden.
- copyright adapted to new technologydecisive»Upphovsrätten måste dock anpassas till ny teknik och« (party programme ↗)“Copyright must, however, be adapted to new technology and”
- good conditions for cultural creators»Konstnärligt skapande av hög kvalitet ska ha goda villkor.« (party programme ↗)“Artistic creation of high quality should have good conditions.”
- artistic freedom»Den konstnärliga friheten ska värnas.« (party programme ↗)“Artistic freedom should be protected.”
- harmonized EU regulations»Den inre marknaden ska utvecklas, regelverk ska« (party programme ↗)“The internal market should be developed, regulations should”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan defends the exclusive right to exploit an intellectual achievement and assigns the public the responsibility that the arts get good conditions to operate.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan defends the exclusive right to exploit an intellectual achievement and assigns the public the responsibility that the arts get good conditions to operate. When AI is trained on protected material without consent, this exclusive right is undermined. The plan moreover requires proceeding with utmost caution and setting ethical requirements in legislation when powerful new technology is taken into use, which supports the requirement for a prompt review.
Original (Swedish)
Planen försvarar ensamrätten att utnyttja en intellektuell prestation och ålägger det offentliga ansvar för att konstarterna får goda villkor att verka. När AI tränas på skyddat material utan medgivande urholkas just den ensamrätten. Planen kräver dessutom att man går ytterst varsamt fram och ställer etiska krav i lagstiftningen när kraftfull ny teknik tas i bruk, vilket bär kravet på en skyndsam översyn.
- exclusive right to intellectual achievementdecisive»Det handlar om ensamrätt att utnyttja en intellektuell prestation, en uppfinning, inte om att äga liv, enskilda gener eller organismer, växter eller djur.« (party programme ↗)“It is about the exclusive right to exploit an intellectual achievement, an invention, not about owning life, individual genes or organisms, plants or animals.”
- good conditions for the arts»Det offentliga har ansvar för att konstarterna får goda villkor att verka.« (party programme ↗)“The public has responsibility that the arts get good conditions to operate.”
- value of culture creators»Utan kulturellt skapande av exempelvis musiker, författare, konstnärer och skådespelare skulle världen vara mycket fattig.« (party programme ↗)“Without cultural creation by, for example, musicians, authors, artists and actors, the world would be very poor.”
- caution with new technology»Det är viktigt att man går ytterst varsamt fram och att man i lagstiftningen kräver att etiska hänsyn ska tas.« (party programme ↗)“It is important to proceed with utmost caution and to require in legislation that ethical considerations shall be taken.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan says nothing on copyright or AI. The closest principle is the party programme's strong protection of ownership and freedom of enterprise and…
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan says nothing on copyright or AI. The closest principle is the party programme's strong protection of ownership and freedom of enterprise and the conclusion that where ownership is undermined, freedom is always undermined, which argues that creators' rights to their material shall be protected. The plan also sees free media and free cultural life as a foundation and the EU as the right arena for cross-border questions. An inquiry and driving EU work thereby lie closest to the plan's principles.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger ingenting om upphovsrätt eller AI. Närmast liggande princip är partiprogrammets starka skydd för äganderätten och näringsfriheten och slutsatsen att där äganderätten undergrävs undergrävs alltid friheten, vilket talar för att skapares rättigheter till sitt material ska värnas. Planen ser också fria medier och ett fritt kulturliv som fundament och EU som rätt arena för gränsöverskridande frågor. En utredning och ett drivande EU-arbete ligger därmed närmast planens principer.
- strong protection for ownershipdecisive»Äganderätten och näringsfriheten ska ha ett starkt skydd« (party programme ↗)“Ownership and freedom of enterprise shall have strong protection”
- undermined ownership threatens freedom»Där äganderätten undergrävs, där undergrävs alltid friheten.« (party programme ↗)“Where ownership is undermined, freedom is always undermined.”
- free cultural life protected»Fria medier och ett fritt kulturliv är fundament« (party programme ↗)“Free media and free cultural life are a foundation”
- EU solves cross-border problems»EU:s fokus ska ligga på att lösa problem som Sverige inte kan hantera ensamt, till exempel handel, klimat, migration och säkerhet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The EU's focus shall be on solving problems Sweden cannot handle alone, such as trade, climate, migration and security.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The election manifesto states that outdated copyright rules need to be adapted to how people consume and create content in the digital society, and the plan protects property rights in the constitution and Swedish culture.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto states that outdated copyright rules need to be adapted to how people consume and create content in the digital society, and the plan protects property rights in the constitution and Swedish culture. A prompt review of copyright in light of AI aligns with this. The plan, however, is skeptical of EU guidelines on digital content.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att föråldrade regler om upphovsrätt behöver anpassas efter hur människor konsumerar och skapar innehåll i det digitala samhället, och planen värnar äganderätten i grundlagen och den svenska kulturen. En skyndsam översyn av upphovsrätten i ljuset av AI ligger i linje med det. Planen är dock skeptisk till EU-pekpinnar om digitalt innehåll.
- moderniserad upphovsrättdecisive»Föråldrade regler om upphovsrätt behöver också anpassas efter hur människor konsumerar och skapar innehåll i det digitala samhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Outdated copyright rules also need to be adapted to how people consume and create content in the digital society.”
- stärkt äganderätt»Förstärka grundlagens rättighetsskydd vad gäller yttrandefrihet, äganderätt och frihet från religion« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the constitution's protection of rights regarding freedom of expression, property rights and freedom from religion”
- värnad svensk kultur»Sverigedemokraterna vill värna, vårda och visa svensk kultur.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to protect, preserve and showcase Swedish culture.”
- begränsat EU-inflytande»Sverigedemokraterna vill förhindra pekpinnar från EU som hotar att bestämma vilket innehåll som får tillhandahållas genom digitala tjänster och hur material får spridas på Internet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want to prevent guidelines from the EU that threaten to determine what content may be provided through digital services and how material may be distributed on the Internet.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:NU21)
- Committee report full text (HC01NU21)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1191 — Sveriges 13 sämsta lagar av Rickard Nordin och Niels Paarup-Petersen (båda C)
- Motion 2024/25:1263 — Immaterialrätt för bättre innovation i upphandling av Aida Birinxhiku (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1342 — Framtidens e-sport av Michael Rubbestad m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1344 — Filmpolitik av Jonas Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1451 — Svensk innovationskraft och immaterialrätt av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:154 — Upphovsrättsliga intäkter av Mirja Räihä och Per-Arne Håkansson (båda S)
- Motion 2024/25:1774 — Stärkt kulturpolitik - stärkt demokrati av Mats Berglund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1815 — Starkare skydd för svensk immaterialrätt av Peter Ollén (M)
- Motion 2024/25:1878 — En nationell strategi för immaterialrätt av Lili André (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1963 — Patentintrångsförsäkring för svenska innovationer av Margareta Cederfelt (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2467 — En näringspolitik för tillväxt i hela landet av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2024/25:2617 — Främjande av kulturella och kreativa branscher av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:2952 — Digitalisering för hela Sverige av Niels Paarup-Petersen m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2024/25:2987 — Civilrättsliga sanktioner på immaterialrättens område av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2024/25:3110 — Utgiftsområde 17 Kultur, medier, trossamfund och fritid av Lawen Redar m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:3136 — Utgiftsområde 24 Näringsliv av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:336 — Olaglig konsumtion av upphovsrättsskyddat material av Lars Mejern Larsson (S)
- Motion 2024/25:550 — Stärkt immaterialrätt bland små och medelstora företag av Markus Selin (S)
- Motion 2024/25:553 — En hållbar småföretagarpolitik av Lorena Delgado Varas m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:847 — Utredning om rättegångskostnader för immateriella skydd av Lili André (KD)
Source: The Swedish Parliament