Podcast CitizenCentral

CitizenCentral puts a spotlight on European citizens’ initiatives. In each episode, initiative organisers and supporters tell us why their initiative is important, how they experience raising awareness at EU level, and share tips as they aim to have a greater say in polices that affect our lives.

Interviews with different policy experts and academics further explore the issues put forward by these citizen initiatives.

You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and SoundCloud.

The opinions expressed in the podcasts reflect solely the point of view of the speakers and can in no way be taken to reflect the position of the European Commission or of the European Union.

Meet the people behind European citizens' initiatives in the episode show notes below.

In this episode of CitizenCentral, animal products are up for discussion with two European citizens’ initiative organisers. They believe modern technologies offer solutions to what they consider old and unsustainable practices, and that have benefits for animals, people and planet. 

Filippo Borsellino, organiser of ‘End the Slaughter Age’ initiative, focuses on transferring EU subsidies from livestock farming to cell- and plant-based alternatives. We also hear from a guest running a Spanish start-up that produces cultivated meat alternatives.  

Elise Fleury is the representative of ‘Fur Free Europe’ initiative, which aims to ban fur farms and farmed fur products from the European market. In addition to the subject of the initiative, she shares insights into running a successful ECI campaign.

Join us in a conversation with three current European citizens’ initiative organisers from the Netherlands, France and Denmark. Kirsten Kossen, organiser of ‘Good Clothes, Fair Pay’ initiative asks for legislation on a living wage for workers in the garment and footwear sectors. The initiative asks for more transparency and accountability in the supply chain, aiming to reduce poverty and combat child labour.   

We also hear from Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe and representative of the ‘Win it on the Pitch’ initiative. This group of organisers want to protect the European model of sport and prevent any more ‘super-league-style' breakaway attempts. They aim to officially recognise the social value of sport in European society and involve fans in discussions about the long-term future of European sport.  

Finally, we visit Pernille Schriver in Demark who is a representative of the ‘Stop 5G – Stay Connected but Protected’ initiative. This initiative combines concerns from many groups and aims to address alleged radiation, environmental, and data collection and surveillance issues of wireless connectivity.  

Disclaimer: The Commission does not in any way confirm the factual correctness of the content of the ‘Stop 5G’ initiative, which is the sole responsibility of the group of organisers. In fact, a number of the claims made in this initiative run contrary to the body of scientific evidence available to the Commission, and to the assessments made by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), the body mandated by the World Health Organisation to assess the risks for health. 

In this chapter, we hear from a group of Europeans 26-and-under from 9 different EU countries as they share ideas on voting, EU policymaking, citizen activism and the European Citizens’ Initiative. They also tell us what ideas they would like to see turned into citizens’ initiatives.

We also hear from Daniela Vancic from Democracy International, and Paco Camas of public opinion research company Ipsos. Daniela argues that the ECI and other participatory tools help young people engage with the issues they care about, and Paco gives us facts and figures on young people’s participation in the EU today.

Finally, we hear from two organisers of the citizens’ initiative “Ending the aviation fuel tax exemption in Europe” (also called ‘Fairosene’). These two young citizen lobbyists reflect upon their campaign and why it ended on a high note.

Iltaqa’ man-nies wara l-inizjattivi taċ-ċittadini Ewropej hawn taħt.

Bil-preżenza tal-ECIs “Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics”, “Stop Global Warming – a price for carbon to fight climate change" u "Fraternité 2020 - Mobility. Progress. Europe.”

Fl-2022 niċċelebraw l-10 Anniversarju tal-ECI, u f'dan il-kapitlu niltaqgħu ma’ organizzaturi mill-passat, mill-preżent u (potenzjalment) mill-futur - Simona Pronckutė, Dr Julia Baines u Virginia Fiume.

Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics hi inizjattiva attwali li għandha l-għan li tipprojbixxi bis-sħiħ l-ingredjenti tal-kożmetiċi li jiġu ttestjati fuq l-annimali u li timmodernizza x-xjenza ħielsa mill-annimali. U jridu jkunu l-aktar ECI li tasal għal miljun firma malajr! Wara kampanja ta’ sentejn u perjodu ta’ ġbir tal-firem li għalaq fis-sajf tal-2021, Virginia Fiume taqsam riflessjonijiet validi ferm mill-inizjattiva Stop Global Warming. Hi u l-kollegi tagħha użaw l-esperjenza tagħhom bl-ECI bħala input għall-proġett EUMANS.eu u jwegħdu li se jibqgħu attivi.

Finalment, nisimgħu minn organizzatur tal-ewwel ECI li qatt ġiet irreġistrata “ Fraternité 2020 - Mobility. Progress. Europe.” X’kienet l-esperjenza ta’ Simona 10 snin ilu – u kif ġiet influwenzata ħajjitha mill-parteċipazzjoni fl-ECI?

Nota: Ir-risposta tal-Aġenzija Ewropea għas-Sustanzi Kimiċi għall-ittestjar fuq l-annimali u l-kampanja tal-PETA: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/reach/animal_en.htm

Bil-preżenza tal-ECIs “Freedom to Share” u “Right to Cure”

Dan il-kapitlu ta’ CitizenCentral jittratta d-drittijiet tal-awtur u d-drittijiet tal-proprjetà intellettwali (IP). Gregory Engels, li jirrappreżenta l-inizjattiva Freedom to Share, jimmira li jinfluwenza l-liġi tad-drittijiet tal-awtur Ewropea u li jillegalizza l-ixxerjar tal-files permezz ta’ networks diġitali. Min-naħa l-oħra, Julie Steendam, li tirrappreżenta l-inizjattiva “Right to Cure” (imsejħa wkoll “No profit on pandemic”) titlob lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea biex tara li l-vaċċini u t-trattamenti kollha għall-coronavirus ikunu disponibbli għal kulħadd mad-dinja kollha u li jkunu bla ħlas. It-tnejn li huma jispjegaw fid-dettall suġġetti kkumplikati relatati mal-impatt tal-liġijiet tad-drittijiet tal-awtur u tal-proprjetà intellettwali, il-libertà tagħna u dan kollu x’jiswilna.

Bil-preżenza tal-ECIs “Ban Fossil Fuel Advertising and Sponsorship” u “European EcoScore”

Fil-ħames kapitlu ta’ CitizenCentral nisimgħu mingħand Silvia Pastorelli u Antoine Thill – żewġ organizzaturi li qed jaħdmu ħafna biex jgħinu sabiex il-kumpaniji jinżammu responsabbli u jgħinu lill-konsumaturi jagħmlu għażliet sostenibbli – kull wieħed minnhom b’modi differenti. L-inizjattiva Ban Fossil Fuel Ads għandha l-għan li twassal għal att leġiżlattiv tal-UE li jipprojbixxi r-reklami għall-fjuwils fossili, inkluż għat-trasport bit-triq u fuq l-ilma li jagħmel użu minn fjuwils fossili. Hi ispirata mill-projbizzjoni fuq ir-reklamar tat-tabakk li jeżisti diġà fl-UE u qed timmira li twassal għal bidla sistemika għall-kriżi tal-klima. Fl-istess ħin, l-organizzaturi tal-inizjattiva European EcoScore jridu tikkettar obbligatorju li jipprovdi informazzjoni trasparenti dwar l-impatt ambjentali ta’ prodotti manifatturati jew mibjugħa fl-UE lill-konsumaturi Ewropej.

Iż-żewġ inizjattivi ġew reġistrati u bdew jiġbru l-firem f’nofs l-2021 - isma’ kif sejrin dawn l-inizjattivi s'issa.

Bil-preżenza tal-ECIs “Reclaim Your Face” u “Start Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) throughout the EU”

Fir-raba’ kapitlu ta’ CitizenCentral nisimgħu mingħand Ella Jakubowska u Catarina Neves - li jiddiskutu modi differenti biex jipproteġu d-drittijiet fundamentali u jnaqqsu l-inugwaljanza fl-UE. Reclaim Your Face - l-inizjattiva tas-soċjeta Ċivili għal projbizzjoni fuq prattiki ta’ sorveljanza bijometrika tal-massa qed tipprova tirregola b’mod strett l-użu tat-teknoloġiji tal-bijometrika biex tevita interferenza mhux xierqa fid-drittijiet fundamentali. Il-modi sottili differenti ta’ kif in-nies, il-kumpaniji u l-gvernijiet qed jużaw it-teknoloġija – u għal liema għanijiet u l-impatti ta’ dan fuq ħajjitna – huma s-suġġett ta’ dan l-episodju. L-organizzaturi ta’ Start Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) throughout the EU jridu li l-Kummissjoni Ewropea tagħmel proposta għal introjtu bażiku universali mal-UE kollha biex ittejjeb il-benessri taċ-ċittadini Ewropej fl-Istati Membri kollha.

Bil-preżenza tal-ECIs “Stop Finning – Stop the Trade”, “Green Garden Roof Tops” u “Grow scientific progress: crops matter”

Fit-tielet kapitlu ta’ CitizenCentral nisimgħu mingħand Nils Kluger, Almog Sade u Marina Helmlinger - inkopru s-suġġetti ambjentali fuq l-art u l-baħar. L-inizjattiva taċ-ċittadini Stop Finning - Stop the Trade għandha l-għan li ttemm il-kummerċ fil-pinen tal-klieb il-baħar fl-UE. L-inizjattiva Green Garden Roof Tops – varata minn żewġt aħwa u grupp ta’ ħbieb – trid tuża l-ispazju vojt eżistenti fuq l-osqfa tal-korporazzjonijiet biex jinbidlu f’żoni ekoloġiċi u ħodor. Nisimgħu wkoll mingħand l-organizzatur tal-inizjattiva Grow scientific progress: crops matter. L-inizjattiva għalqet fis-sajf tal-2021, iżda minkejja dan, ir-riflessjonijiet tagħha joffru ħafna suġġerimenti lil nies li jixtiequ jaħdmu fuq ECI.

Bil-preżenza tal-ECIs “Civil Servant Exchange Program” u “Voters Without Broders”

Fit-tieni kapitlu ta’ CitizenCentral nisimgħu mingħand Adam Mazoyer u Rosalie van den Brink huma u jiddiskutu żewġ inizjattivi taċ-ċittadini Ewropej iffukati fuq it-tisħiħ tal-parteċipazzjoni taċ-ċittadini fil-komunitajiet tagħna. L-inizjattiva Civil Servant Exchange Program (CSEP) għandha l-għan li tgħin lill-uffiċjali taċ-ċivil jitgħallmu mingħand xulxin u jindirizzaw aħjar il-kwistjonijiet transnazzjonali - mid-diżastri naturali għaċ-ċibersigurtà u lil hinn. L-inizjattiva Voters Without Borders iġġib argumenti favur iż-żieda ta’ drittijiet demokratiċi taċ-ċittadini tal-UE li jixtiequ jivvutaw fl-elezzjonijiet nazzjonali fejn jgħixu.

Bil-preżenza tal-ECIs “Fridays for Future” u “Save Bees and Farmers”

Isma’ l-ewwel kapitlu ta’ CitizenCentral biex tisma’ lil Paula Reyes u lil Helmut Burtscher huma u jiddiskutu żewġ inizjattivi taċ-ċittadini Ewropej li l-perjodu tal-ġbir tal-firem tagħhom għalaq fl-aħħar ta’ Settembru 2021. “Actions on Climate Emergency” (għalqet fit-23 September 2021) u “Save bees and Farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment” (għalqet fit-30 September 2021) huma tnejn mill-ħafna inizjattivi taċ-ċittadini relatati mat-tibdil fil-klima u l-bijodiversità matul is-snin.