Brussels, 17 June 2024
The EU Commission is today launching the new EU Knowledge Center on preventing radicalization. This knowledge hub builds on the success of the Radicalization Awareness Network (RAN), which has contributed to raising awareness and sharing information between practitioners (since 2011) and policy makers (since 2021).
The knowledge center will now have a broader scope, beyond awareness-raising. It will support Member States and partner countries to develop and implement policies and strategies based on shared knowledge and expertise. For example, the knowledge center will support the organization of thematic groups to allow prevention experts to work together on priority topics; project-based collaborations led by Member States; workshops; study visits; tailored support services; formations; mentoring and job shadowing; of research; and prospective analyses. In doing so, it will enable policy makers, practitioners and researchers to better collaborate at EU level to address the challenges posed by radicalisation.
Preventing radicalization is the first step in preventing terrorist attacks
Throughout its mandate, the Commission has worked to support Member States in their efforts to prevent exposure to harmful and terrorist content and to prevent radicalization, both offline and online. The creation of an EU knowledge center on preventing radicalization was mentioned in the EU’s 2020 counter-terrorism agenda. This center will also support the implementation of the Regulation on terrorist content online, applicable from June 2022, as well as the work of the European Internet Forum.
Source – EU Commission