by Edoardo de Stefani
European
Union's secret receipt for a sustainable environment, public health and food
safety is simple enough to be replied at home. Indeed, citizens are the most
important ingredients for the success of the "circular economy".
On 29
January 2015 the European Parliament (EP) acknowledged the need to include
citizens in the policy making process for exploiting the benefits of the
"circular economy", through the technology of social innovation. What
is really necessary in Europe, as mentioned at the conference, is to
change mentality and to make use of all our assets, including the
young generation and the Erasmus one: “Young people are said to be
less politicized, but at least they maintain a strong idealistic push that can
sustain Europe as a symbol for everyone".
Though,
civic engagement is not only about idealism or an institutional practice to
increase the social acceptance of EU. People can contribute to the correct
functioning of the delicate clockwork, for instance by participating at the
design of those projects that aim at delivering community services. The general
idea is that established decision-making structures can be sustained in policy
formation and projects implementation by active networks of civic stakeholders.
