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OPINION (2022/2198(INI))

On virtual worlds – opportunities, risks and policy implications for the single market

CULT-AD-746918

Committee on Culture and Education · Rapporteur: Laurence Farreng

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The Committee on Culture and Education calls on the lead committee to include its suggestions in a resolution on virtual worlds. It asks for an EU strategy that is sustainable, human-centric and protects EU values and fundamental rights. It wants investment in immersive technologies, more funding for Horizon Europe and Creative Europe, and support for SMEs and start-ups in cultural and creative sectors. It highlights uses in culture, heritage, education and research, and calls for digital literacy, STEAM education, teacher training and keeping talent in the EU. It asks for protection of intellectual property and authors' rights, assessment of environmental impact, and rules against harassment, bullying, discrimination and surveillance, with special protection for children. It invites the Commission to monitor virtual worlds, consider the impact of the AI Act on culture, and work with Member States on international standardisation.

Committee position. The Committee on Culture and Education proposes that the lead committee incorporate its suggestions into its motion for a resolution, covering a comprehensive EU strategy for virtual worlds, investment, accessibility, education, intellectual property, environmental impact, safety and international cooperation.

Key points

  1. Calls for a comprehensive, sustainable and human-centric EU strategy for virtual worlds that safeguards EU values and fundamental rights and promotes innovation in video games and immersive technologies.
  2. Calls for adequate investment in virtual worlds, welcomes the Virtual and Augmented Reality Industrial Coalition, and asks to increase the budgets of Horizon Europe and Creative Europe.
  3. Emphasises the importance of metaverses for cultural and creative ecosystems and insists on society-wide accessibility, digital literacy and affordable internet access, especially for rural areas and vulnerable groups.
  4. Welcomes the impact of virtual worlds on cultural heritage and recalls the need to protect European strategic cultural assets and their integrity.
  5. Notes risks of economic speculation, monopolistic tendencies and market concentration, and calls for a decentralised approach, more funding for SMEs and start-ups, and reduced dependency on third countries.
  6. States that virtual worlds can transform education and research, promote distance and lifelong learning, and bridge the digital divide, and calls for investment in digital literacy and critical thinking.
  7. Emphasises the need for STEAM education, training and upskilling of workers, including in artificial intelligence, and for harmonisation of training and mutual recognition of qualifications across Member States.
  8. Underlines the importance of supporting teachers and educators, and calls on Member States and the EU to encourage upskilling of teachers to become digitally competent.
  9. Stresses that an EU strategy must protect intellectual property, authors' rights and copyright, and notes that non-fungible tokens can represent a new source of revenue for the EU's cultural ecosystem.
  10. Notes high energy consumption of metaverses and stresses that an EU strategy must assess environmental impact and sustainability, including by raising citizens' awareness.
  11. Considers that virtual worlds should be regulated to prevent harassment, bullying, discrimination and surveillance, and stresses the need to protect children and minors through existing legislation such as the Digital Services Act and the BIK+ strategy.
  12. Invites the Commission to consider the impact of horizontal digital legislation such as the AI Act on culture, and to ensure close monitoring of virtual worlds and coordination with Member States on international standardisation efforts.

Who is affected

  • EU citizens, especially children and minors, who need protection from harmful behaviour and safe, accessible virtual worlds.
  • Cultural and creative sectors, including artists, authors and SMEs, which need funding, access to immersive technologies and protection of intellectual property.
  • Teachers, educators and learners, who need training and digital skills to use virtual worlds safely and effectively.
  • The European Commission, which is asked to monitor developments, consider the AI Act's impact on culture and coordinate international standardisation.
  • Member States, which are called on to encourage teacher upskilling and harmonise training and qualifications.