Join us for a train ride with Verena Ringler, director of European Commons and curator of the Tipping Point Talks 2019. She helps prepare the ground for the next EU and proposes to do things differently to do different things.

“This is mid-2019 and this is the time where we need an EU Commissioner on citizen relations and civil society. Now, why is that? Some weeks ago, the new EU Commission President von der Leyen did get enough votes from the European Parliament to take up this new position. But at the same time, a lot of bridges have been burnt on that way of not choosing one of the Spitzenkandidaten of the European Parliament elections for President of the European Commission. This is an unprecedented situation. But also a window of opportunity for the European Union to finally get that interface between the political sector, on the one hand, and the citizen sector, on the other hand, right. To get it professionally right, to make participation real, to make citizen consultations the reality in today’s European Union and in between elections and to get real about the non-profit single market in the European Union. Look, citizens are constituent elements of the European Union. This is the time where we need an EU Citizen Commissioner.”

This text and video is published under the Creative Commons License: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. The name of the author/rights holder should be mentioned as followed. Author: Jovana Trifunovic and Igor Bararon / tippingpoint.net. Cover picture: Verena Ringler, film still. Photo: Igor Bararon / tippingpoint.net

Back on Track

As our world is facing major geopolitical shifts and challenges, from the rise of nationalism to increased demands for privacy, from balancing growing human needs with environmental limits, there is undoubtedly space for major improvements. We see civil society as the key driving force in this process and have therefore launched the video series Back on Track about social engagement and activism as a clear sign of support to the dedicated change makers in our societies.

The Video The EU needs a Citizens Commissioner! is the first episode of the second season of Back on Track.