Member countries will decide which YouTubers and TikTokers should attend, according to the Council’s guidance, which advises against choosing individuals who have “published views against EU values.”
The guidance also states that content creators should not have any “significant or long-standing commercial collaborations” to prevent connections with big brands. The influencers will not receive any payment under the scheme.
Applicants cannot be pursuing or already holding a political role, meaning influencer-turned-Cypriot MEP Fidias Panayiotou would not qualify for the required accreditation.
EU countries are encouraged to choose influencers whose social media accounts have a “significant audience” relative to their country’s population and who have a history of creating content about politics, specifically the EU, the guidance states.
EU countries still need approval for the plan, but one EU diplomat told POLITICO that the guidance has his support, adding: “We’ll have to see how it plays out regarding these content creators during Council days. What kind of access will they have? What kind of content will they produce?” The diplomat was given anonymity to speak freely.
Filming access within the Council building in Brussels is typically reserved for accredited journalists.
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