Last week, the Influencer Marketing Trade Body (IMTB) took the creator economy’s case to the European Parliament.
Speaking on behalf of the European Influencer Marketing Alliance (EIMA), director general Scott Guthrie outlined both the huge economic value creators bring to the EU and the key issues holding them back — from copyright and fair pay to the impact of AI.
Copyright, Compensation, and AI: IMTB represents EIMA detailing creator challenges to the European Parliament
Last week, IMTB spoke in the European Parliament, describing the challenges facing creators in Europe.
Representing the European Influencer Marketing Alliance (EIMA) our director general, Scott Guthrie, underscored the positive economic and societal impact the creator economy has on the European Union before outlining the current challenges facing content creators.
Creators: positive economic impact
Speaking to the parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT), Guthrie explained that Creators are a lever for economic growth in Europe. In 2023, YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed over €6.4Bn to the European Union’s GDP and supported more than 185,000 full-time equivalent jobs in the EU, according to Oxford Economics data.
More broadly, in 2025, over half of all content-driven advertising revenue globally will come from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram Reels, reports WPP in its Mid-Year Global Advertising Forecast Update.
Global creator-generated revenue will hit $184.9 billion this year, up 20% from 2024, and is expected to more than double to $376.6 billion by 2030 says the WPP report.
Sector-level challenges
At a sector level, Guthrie told the committee, that creators are looking for greater recognition within government in line with their economic and social contributions.That, in turn, means improved representation at a trade association level – a function which both IMTB and EIMA are working towards meeting. Creating that unified voice helps to represent creators’ interests to governments and other institutions.
Creators are also looking for access to tailored training. That includes competencies in advertising disclosure and compliance training to better protect the consumer – an initiative actively promoted by the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) via its Adethics programme.
However, creators are also on the hunt for more rounded training. They are looking to enhance their business skills and financial literacy, as well as ways to increase their technical and creative skills.
Operational challenges
Guthrie went on to outline operational-level challenges facing creators, such as:
- Copyright and intellectual property – including infringement, plagiarism and misuse
- Artificial intelligence – including skills challenge, AI slop and potential trust erosion.
- Appropriate compensation and financial stability – including payment terms, payment rates, late payments and limited access to funds.
Guthrie was speaking at the European Parliament at the invitation of Ms Nela Riehl MEP, Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT). His remarks formed part of a roundtable discussion titled: ‘Today and Tomorrow’s Challenges for Performers and Creators in Europe’.
About EIMA
IMTB cofounded EIMA in 2024 alongside France’s Union des Métiers de l’Influence et des Créateurs de Contenus (UMICC) and Germany’s Bundesverband Influencer Marketing e.V. (BVIM). The alliance now includes representatives from Belgium, Spain, Italy and Latvia.
EIMA offers a practical way to share local expertise with partner members for the betterment of the influencer marketing industry.
