It will be up to member states to decide which YouTubers and TikTokers should attend, but guidance from the Council says they should not select anyone who has “published views against EU values,” the guidance said.
Content creators should also not have “any significant or long-term commercial partnerships,” to avoid ties to big brands, the guideline continues. The influencers will not be paid as part of the plan.
They cannot be seeking a political position, or ready to hold that role, meaning MEP Fidias Panayiotou will not be able to obtain the necessary approval.
EU countries should choose influencers whose social media accounts have a “large audience” compared to their country’s population, and who have a track record of creating content about politics, especially the EU, the guidelines say.
EU countries still need to support the plan, however, one EU diplomat told POLITICO that he supports the directive, adding: “We’ll have to see how it plays out in terms of having these content creators on Council days. What kind of access are they given? What kind of content can they produce?” The diplomat was granted anonymity to speak freely.
Access to film inside the Council building in Brussels is normally restricted to authorized journalists.
