EU-funded project Socientize allowed a wide consultation with citizen science stakeholders. A white paper aiming to “support policy makers on European, national and regional level when setting up future strategies of civic engagement in the excellence in science” has just been published. An engaging document that defines the characteristics of citizen science and maps challenges and possible actions at macro, meso and micro level. At European level, the paper calls for a “coordinated plan” and states: “The development of such framework conditions must revolve around three key issues: public engagement, trust and education.”