The European Commission is the latest government body to take advantage of the immense popularity of the online video sharing medium, by launching its own YouTube channel.EU Tube is the name of the dedicated channel, which the Commission suggests shares "the sights and sounds of Europe on YouTube".
It follows similar moves by former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Conservative leader David Cameron, who both used YouTube as a resource with which to communicate with the public.
Blair launched a series of YouTube videos under the Labourvision tag, after Tory chief Cameron had tried to woo potential voters with his WebCameron offering.
Margot Wallström, vice-president for institutional relations and communication strategy at the EU, said: "This initiative reflects the Commission's commitment to better explain its policies and actions on issues which concern citizens across the EU - such as climate change, energy or immigration."
The aim of the non-exclusive arrangement between the EU and YouTube is to present "new and innovative ways of informing people on the activities of the European Union" through videos, illustrating the main issues that members of the EU's 27 member states face.
"It is very important for the Commission to use all the means at its disposal when it comes to communicating with European citizens. We can not ignore the developments which have taken place on the internet in the past few years, in particular the popularity of video sharing sites such as YouTube," said Ms Wallström
