Italy’s communications authority (AGCOM) stipulated that online platforms must compensate publishers for the use of snippets from news articles. Meta argued that the Italian regulation was incompatible with the rights granted to publishers under EU copyright law. The Italian court subsequently sought clarification from the Court of Justice of the European (CJEU) regarding the interpretation of the relevant regulations.

On May 12, 2026, the Court of Justice of the European (CJEU) ruled that publishers’ right to fair compensation is consistent with EU law, provided that such compensation constitutes reasonable consideration for authorizing the online use of news publications.

A Meta spokesperson said that the company would review the decision in full and engage constructively as the matter returns to the Italian courts.

The executive director of the European Publishers Council stated that the important ruling paves the way for fairer negotiations. Quality journalism depends on ​the ability ⁠of publishers to recoup the investments required to produce trusted news and information.

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Reference Materials:

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/meta-loses-court-fight-over-compensation-italian-publishers-2026-05-12/