I started May in the beautiful city of Florence, Italy, where I recharged my batteries with incredible architecture, museums, gardens and restaurants! I came back full of energy to enjoy a series of upbeat events that are worth celebrating as it does not happen so often: the EU Culture Ministers' Council meeting, the Cannes Film Festival, and the EU Parliament's Culture committee hearing on AI.

Judging by all the activity in a single month, my team and I feel it has been more like a whole quarter of a year! Let me share some of the highlights with you.

AI and the EU Code of Practice, preparing for our co-organised side event in Geneva, meeting with MEPs and news from the SAA Board of Patrons. Read SAA Secretary General Cécile Despringre's March digest.

February saw the start of my travels with the Berlinale, and AI remained high on our agenda. My team and I have spent a lot of time responding to consultations and writing joint statements. In the face of the big tech industry, our individual advocacy efforts may seem too small to make a difference, but I firmly believe the saying that 'small streams make great rivers'. Together with authors and partner organisations, we will continue to reiterate our message for authorisation, remuneration and transpar

Although the days are slowly getting longer, I must admit that the way the world is going, I am feeling rather gloomy about what this year will bring. At the same time, I remain positive about what my dedicated team and our committed member organisations can achieve together!

A few final words about the SAA activities in December before wishing you all happy holidays and a great start to the New Year!

November was an eventful month of meetings with the members, policymakers and partners. Some of the activities included a workshop to set our long-term direction, preparing our contribution to the AI Act Code of Practice, delivering a joint stakeholder address to EU's Culture Ministers, and getting involved in 'Big Tech' court cases against Belgium. 

In October, I travelled to Budapest and Warsaw, organised two working group meetings with the SAA members, prepared for our all-member meeting in Brussels in November and started introducing Luisiana, our new Policy and Legal Officer, to the copyright experts in the Permanent Representations of the Member States.

What a month of September! When I came back from my summer holidays on 20 August, I knew that it had a lot to prepare for September, but I did not imagine that the month would be so busy.

July was an unusual busy month due to the setting up of the new European Parliament following the June elections. The newly elected MEPs held their constitutive plenary session last week in Strasbourg. Together with my colleague Annica, we went to Strasbourg and had a few appointments with re-elected and new MEPs.

The sun has finally replaced the cold rain in Brussels, but the outcome of the European elections has contradicted this move towards a bright summer, especially in France. As a French citizen myself, I must admit I am looking for the silver linings right now…  The results of the first round of the French general elections yesterday confirmed the high level of uncertainty on the future government of the second largest economy of the EU.

I heard on the radio that Belgium had the wettest month of May in more than a decade… I confirm it from my experience, fortunately, I travelled a bit this month and got some sun during my trip to the Cannes Film Festival!