For centuries, Europe has been a cultural powerhouse, exporting its art, theatre, literature and music to all corners of the globe. From Renaissance masterpieces to the symphonies of Beethoven, Europe’s creators have shaped the way millions of people we imagine and experience the world.

Today, this legacy continues, but in a vastly different landscape. The digital age has transformed how content is produced and shared, democratising the tools of creation and breaking down old barriers to access. Anyone with a smartphone and a spark of creativity can now become a content producer and reach a global audience.  

Platforms like YouTube have become central to this new ecosystem. These platforms not only empower creators to share their stories, but also drive economic growth and community building in ways unimaginable just a few decades ago. Today’s creators are not confined to the salons of Paris or the concert halls of Vienna – they are reaching millions from home studios, transcending borders with a single upload.

In 2022, YouTube’s creative ecosystem alone added over €5.5 billion to the GDP of the EU27 – and supported more than 150,000 full-time equivalent jobs. According to Oxford Economics, 7 out of 10 European creators who earn money from YouTube agree that the platform helps them export their content to international audiences which they would not access otherwise.

We need to encourage the work that young creators are doing, and support platforms and creators alike

This changing landscape was the focus of a recent discussion at the European Parliament in Brussels, where policymakers and YouTube creators came together to explore the profound impact of the creator economy. By examining how platforms like YouTube are reshaping the creative ecosystem, the event highlighted the potential for European creators to not only entertain but to generate jobs and strengthen Europe’s cultural footprint worldwide.

Zala Tomašic, an EPP MEP from Slovenia and a member of the CULT Committee, kicked off the discussion with a personal story, revealing that she had once harboured ambitions to be a “YouTube star”. As a child she created a channel, but her ambitions fell at the first hurdle when she realised quite how much expertise is required across editing, sound, lighting, recording, and marketing for content creation. “Companies employ big departments to do what a creator does on their own, all by themselves,” she noted.

Gaspard G – another of the attendees – was more successful in his attempts at building a career on YouTube. G started posting on YouTube at the age of 10, and soon started his own channel, covering a mix of politics and current events. Since then, his channel has grown to more than 1.1 million subscribers. He is also the founder of a creative media agency, representing creators on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

Earlier this year, he was appointed Secretary General of the Union of Influence Profession and Content Creators (Union des Métiers de l’Influence et des Créateurs de Contenus, or UMICC), the first professional federation dedicated to the influencer sector in France. In his speech about becoming of a successful creator, he highlighted the increasing power and responsibility of YouTube creators, some of whom increasingly surpass traditional media outlets in reach. This brings with it responsibility to professionalise, he said. Alongside supporting and representing influencers, UMICC aims to create recognition and ethical standards for online creators, to bring it into line with other recognised professions.

MEP Tomašic stressed that, while policy-makers must address some challenges such as data protection and the spread of mis- and dis-information, they should not lose sight of the “huge positive aspects” that platforms like YouTube bring. “They create an environment where people can access information, remove barriers to the spread of knowledge, and open up incredible opportunities for employment and innovation,” she said, noting how many entrepreneurs and small businesses use these platforms to reach broader audiences and building their brands while creating new job opportunities.  Additionally, she noted how social media continues to amplify advocacy and awareness on social issues, providing a powerful tool to mobilize communities and drive change.

To ensure Europe realises its potential as a global hub for creativity, she urged policy-makers to do more to support digital skills development. “We need to increase the digital literacy skills. We need to invest in the digital space. We need to encourage the work that young creators are doing, and we need to support platforms and creators alike,” she added.

Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová MEP, a former journalist, echoed these ideas, but expressed her concerns about the role of social media in spreading misinformation. “Even though social media is a wonderful tool for us to use, it’s just a tool,” she said. “We need to tackle issues like misinformation, disinformation, and algorithmic blind spots.”

David Wheeldon, Managing Director and Head of EMEA Government Affairs and Public Policy at YouTube, highlighted the platform’s unique position in the creative economy. YouTube not only provides a space for creators to share their work but also drives economic and community development. Creators are not just building careers for themselves. As Gaspard G shows, they are also shaping the future of media by creating jobs and building entire media companies and sectoral organisations. As Wheeldon highlighted, YouTube creators in Europe are reaching a global audience, with 65% of their watch time coming from outside the continent. This broad reach presents an opportunity for European creators to invest in their culture and creativity, extending their influence worldwide.

Looking ahead, YouTube is exploring innovative ways to help creators reach even larger audiences. Wheeldon announced the upcoming expansion of AI tools, such as YouTube Aloud, which uses AI to dub creators’ voices into other languages. “We are going to launch YouTube Aloud in more and more languages in Europe, where AI will take your voice and lip sync and you will be talking in another language,” he explained. “We’ve got five languages up and running, and we’re going to build that over time. This creates a massive opportunity for all creators in Europe to access audiences across the continent and beyond.”

The event underscored the need for policymakers to recognize the potential of the creator economy and foster an environment that nurtures digital skills. MEP Tomašic noted that the creative economy offers young people a unique opportunity to turn their passions into professions. “60% of Generation Z and millennials want to turn their hobbies into a profession,” she said, highlighting the sector’s importance to future job markets.

By investing in digital literacy and supporting platforms that empower creators, Europe can solidify its position as a global hub of creativity and innovation. As MEP Tomašic concluded, the creator economy isn’t just about individual success – it’s about building a vibrant, sustainable cultural and economic ecosystem that benefits all of Europe.