COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS supporting the prevention of radicalisation leading to violent extremism
Date: 2016-06-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission
Subjects: Internet, education, exchange of information, extremism, fight against crime, international cooperation, penal institution, prevention of delinquency, research, terrorism

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 14.6.2016  COM(2016) 379 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS supporting the prevention of radicalisation leading to violent extremism   
 
 
Introduction 

The  recent  terrorist  attacks  in  Europe  once  again  underlined  the  urgent  need  to  tackle  the 
radicalisation  leading  to  violent  extremism  and  terrorism.  The  majority  of  the  terrorist 
suspects  implicated  in  those  attacks  were  European  citizens,  born  and  raised  in  Member 
States, who were radicalised and turned against their fellow citizens to commit atrocities. The 
prevention of radicalisation is a key part of the fight against terrorism, as was highlighted in 
the European Agenda on Security1.  

The design and implementation of measures countering radicalisation takes place mainly on 
the  ground,  at  local  but  also  regional  or  national  level,  and  falls  primarily  within  the 
competence of the Member States. Local actors are usually best placed to prevent and detect 
radicalisation  both  in  the  short-term  and  the  long-term.  At  the  same  time,  the  EU  has  a 
supporting role to play not least because the similar nature of the challenges faced by Member 
States, and the scale and interconnected nature of the problem, which mean that cooperation, 
networking, funding and exchange of good practices at Union level also have a role to play.  

The EU has been supporting Member States' work in this area for over a decade. In 20052, the 
EU  counter-terrorism  strategy  identified  prevention  as  one  of  the  four  pillars  of  its  actions. 
The Commission adopted a specific Communication in 20143 identifying priorities for further 
actions.  The  European  Agenda  on  Security  of  April  2015  put  the  prevention  of  violent 
radicalisation  in  a  broader  policy  context.  Following  the  12  February  20154  European 
Council's  call  and  those  of  the  European  Parliament5,  the  Foreign  Affairs  Council  of  9 
February  20156  and  the  Justice  and  Home  Affairs  Council  of  20  November  20157  and  24 
March  20168,  the  Commission  proposed  further  concrete  actions  in  its  20  April  2016 
Communication9  to  further  support  the  effectiveness  of  Member  States'  national  policies  to 
tackle radicalisation through: improved EU coordination structures, use of EU wide networks, 

1 The European Agenda on Security, COM (2015) 185 of 28 April 2015. 
2 The EU Counter Terrorism Strategy of 30 November 2005,  
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/doc/srv?l=EN&f=ST%2014469%202005%20REV%204.  
3 Commission Communication on Preventing Radicalisation to Terrorism and Violent Extremism: Strengthening 
the EU's Response, COM (2013) 941 final of 15 January 2014. 
4 Informal meeting of the Heads of State or Government Brussels, 12 February 2015 - Statement by the members 
of  the  European  Council,  http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2015/02/150212-european-
council-statement-fight-against-terrorism/.  
5 European Parliament resolution of 25 November 2015 on the prevention of radicalisation and recruitment of 
European citizens by terrorist organisations (2015/2063(INI)),  
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+COMPARL+PE-
551.967+01+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN;  see  also  the    European  Parliament  resolution  of  19  January 
2016 on the role of intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity and education in promoting EU fundamental values, 
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+TA+P8-TA-2016-
0005+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN.  
6 Council conclusions on counter-terrorism of 9 February 2015, http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-
releases/2015/02/150209-council-conclusions-counter-terrorism/. 
7  Conclusions  of  the  Council  of  the  EU  and  of  the  Member  States  meeting  within  the  Council  on  Counter-
Terrorism  of  20  November  2015,  http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2015/11/20-jha-
conclusions-counter-terrorism/.      
8  Joint  statement  of  EU  Ministers  for  Justice  and  Home  Affairs  and  representatives  of  EU  institutions  on  the 
terrorist 
in  Brussels  on  22  March  2016,  http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-
releases/2016/03/24-statement-on-terrorist-attacks-in-brussels-on-22-march/.  
9  Delivering  on  the  European  Agenda  on  Security  to  fight  against  terrorism  and  pave  the  way  towards  an 
effective and genuine Security Union, COM (2016) 230 final. 

attacks 

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better  deployment  of  funds  and  European  scale  projects.  This  latest  Communication  also 
complements  the  United  Nations  Plan  of  Action  to  prevent  violent  extremism  presented  in 
January 201610.  

Violent radicalisation is not a new phenomenon; however, its most recent manifestations, its 
scale, as well as the use of new communication tools present new challenges that call for an 
approach addressing both the immediate security implications of radicalisation as well as the 
root causes, bringing together all relevant actors across society 

This Communication addresses the EU's contribution to support Member States in preventing 
radicalisation  leading  to  violent  extremism  in  the  form  of  terrorism.  This  multifaceted  and 
complex  challenge  can  only  be  met  through  a  combination  of  actions  across  several  policy 
areas  and  bringing  together  competent  authorities,  and  societal  and  community  actors  at  all 
levels – local, regional, national and European. This Communication focuses on how work at 
EU  level  can  support  Member  States  in  meeting  this  challenge  in  seven  specific  areas:  (i) 
supporting  research,  evidence  building,  monitoring  and  networking;  (ii)  countering  terrorist 
propaganda and hate speech online; (iii) addressing radicalisation in prisons; (iv) promoting 
inclusive  education  and  EU  common  values;  (v)  promoting  an  inclusive,  open  and  resilient 
society  and  reaching  out  to  young  people;  (vi)  the  security  dimension  of  addressing 
radicalisation and; (vii) the international dimension.  

1. Violent radicalisation, a complex phenomenon that calls for an in-depth knowledge 
and a multi-faceted response 

  An increasingly complex and evolving phenomenon 

The EU has long been confronted with different kinds of terrorism, notably based on extreme 
political  ideologies.  These  remain  a  serious  concern  across  the  EU,  and  there  are  signs  that 
they  may  increasingly  lead  to  violent  extremism  in  the  form  of  terrorism.  However,  the 
drivers  of  the  recent  terrorist  acts  in  Europe  are  different  from,  and  more  complex  than, 
previous radicalisation phenomena. Radicalisation today has different root causes, operates on 
the basis of different recruitment and communication techniques, and is marked by globalised 
and  moving  targets  inside  and  outside  Europe.  It  grows  in  various  urban  and  peri-urban 
contexts and is fuelled and inspired by violence-inciting ideologies that target new audiences 
such as women and very young people from different social backgrounds. Moreover, violent 
radicalisation is a complex matter, that depends on an intricate web of push and pull factors. It 
is not caused by a single “trigger” and does not have a single cause or an inevitable path, but 
is usually the result of a combination of different factors 

The  drivers  conducive  to  radicalisation  may  include  a  strong  sense  of  personal  or  cultural 
alienation, perceived injustice or humiliation reinforced by social marginalisation, xenophobia 
and  discrimination,  limited  education  or  employment  possibilities,  criminality,  political 
factors  as  well  as  an  ideological  and  religious  dimension,  unstructured  family  ties,  personal 
trauma  and  other  psychological  problems.  These  factors  can  be  exploited  by  recruiters  who 
prey on vulnerabilities and grievances through manipulation or be reinforced on the contrary, 
by  self-isolation.  Social  media  provide  connectivity,  virtual  participation  and  an  echo-

10 https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/ctitf/en/plan-action-prevent-violent-extremism.  

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chamber for like-minded extremist views. Moreover, practitioners and academics have noted 
that the process of radicalisation can in certain circumstances take place in increasingly short 
time frames. Some 4000 EU nationals are estimated to have joined terrorist organisations in 
countries of conflict such as Syria and Iraq.  

Recent terrorist attacks have put Islamist extremism in the spotlight. Ideological and religious 
factors are one of many possible drivers of radicalisation. Recruiters and extremist preachers 
have  become  adept  at  exploiting  grievances  abusing  religious  narratives  and  symbols 
providing justifications for acts of violence. At the same time, religion can play a vital role in 
preventing  or  countering  radicalisation:  it  binds  communities,  strengthens  the  sense  of 
belonging and guides people in a positive direction. 

  Supporting research, evidence building, monitoring and networks 

EU  research  has  provided  useful  comparative  results  on  radicalisation  and  de-radicalisation 
processes among young people and on the evolving and complex social context of religions, 
multiculturalism and political extremism in many Member States. It has produced and should 
continue  to  produce  concrete  tools  and  policy  analysis  directly  usable  by  Member  States' 
security  practitioners  and  policy-makers.  The  most  recent  terrorist  attacks  perpetrated  in 
Europe, however, show new trends in the process of radicalisation which need to be further 
investigated.  

Several  projects  on  radicalisation  were  launched  under  the  Seventh  Framework  Programme 
for  European  Research  and  Technological  Development  (FP7)11.  These  projects  targeted  a 
better  understanding  of  the  drivers  underlying  radicalisation,  as  well  as  methodologies  to 
assess the effectiveness of measures addressing them. 

In order to further bridge the gap between academia and security practitioners in this field, the 
Commission  has  included  research  topics  on  radicalisation  and  inclusion  in  2016  under  the 
Horizon  2020  programme12.  There  is  also  important  research  on  religious  diversity  in 
Europe13.  The  fresh  evidence  generated  by  these  projects  will  strengthen  the  capacity  of 
Member  States  to  fine-tune  existing  policy  approaches  and  develop  new  policies  and 
practices. 

Further  research  priorities  include:  systematizing  the  available  knowledge  and  expertise  to 
support  strategic  decision-making;  enhancing  interdisciplinary  fieldwork  on  terrorists' 
recruiting  grounds,  socialisation  and  techniques;  using  big  data  in  order  to  analyse  the 
information  related  to  the  communication  practices  of  violent  radicalisation;  improving 
existing  links  between  academia  including  non-EU  researchers,  policy-makers  and  other 
stakeholders; and research and education on languages, cultures, religions and ideologies. 

11  FP7 
security  projects:  www.safire-project.eu;  www.impacteurope.eu;  www.fp7-prime.eu/project; 
http://voxpol.eu/.  FP7  social  science  and  humanities  projects:  "Religious  Diversity  and  Secular  Models  in 
Europe-Innovative  approaches  to  Law  and  Policy";  "Finding  a  place  for  Islam  in  Europe";  "Combating 
inequalities through innovative social practices of, and for, young people in cities across Europe". 
12 EUR 8.5 million call on developing a comprehensive approach to violent radicalisation in the EU from early 
understanding to improving protection and EUR 5 million call on contemporary radicalisation trends and their 
implications for Europe.  
13 EUR 2.5 million call on religious diversity in Europe – past, present and future.  

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Radicalisation Awareness Network Centre of Excellence 

The Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) Centre of Excellence is the European hub and 
platform to  exchange  experiences, pool  knowledge, identify best practices  and develop new 
initiatives  in  tackling  radicalisation.  It  engages,  different  actors  (including  psychologists, 
educators,  social  workers,  community  leaders  and  NGOs  together  with  police,  prison  and 
probation officers as well as representatives from different ministries and administrations) in 
all  relevant  areas  ranging  from  enhancing  resilience  against  extremist  propaganda  on  the 
internet,  radicalisation  in  prison  as  well  as  in  the  educational  environment  with  a  particular 
focus  on  youth.  The  RAN  is  conceived  as  a  network  of  networks  and  cooperation  between 
other  relevant  networks and the RAN Centre of Excellence helps pooling relevant expertise 
and mutually reinforcing initiatives in different policy areas. The Commission has foreseen up 
to  EUR  25  million  over  a  period  of  four  years  to  the  Radicalisation  Awareness  Network 
Centre  of  Excellence  to  provide  specific  support  to  stakeholders  in  the  Member  States  in 
designing  comprehensive  prevent  strategies,  setting  up  multi  agency  frameworks  and 
networks  and  implementing  concrete  projects.  Finally,  the  RAN  Centre  of  Excellence  is 
mapping  latest  research  findings  which  are  directly  relevant  for  the  concrete  work  of 
practitioners and authorities within the different RAN working groups.  

Key actions:  

  RAN  Centre  of  Excellence  providing  support  to  Member  States  in  designing  and 
implementing effective prevent work, providing guidelines and handbooks for establishing 
multi  agency  structures,  creating  a  platform  for  exchange  of  experiences  and  practices 
and through further mapping of research on radicalisation. 

  Establishment  of  a  repository  of  prevent  strategies  at  national,  regional  or  local  level, 

networks of practitioners and national/regional contact points in Member States. 

  Mobilising  research  under  Horizon  2020  on  the  complex  root  causes  of  violent 
radicalisation,  in  order  to  deliver  concrete  tools  to  allow  better  informed  policy 
interventions.  

2.  Countering  terrorist  propaganda  and  hate  speech  online:  fighting  threats, 
strengthening critical minds and encouraging civil society engagement.   

Terrorists are increasingly abusing the internet for their purposes. Some terrorist groups now 
dedicate  significant  resources  to  producing  large  volumes  of  sophisticated  terrorist  material 
which  includes  threats,  training  manuals,  practical  advice  on  how  to  obtain  and  import 
weapons, on how to make bombs and how to select targets, plan and carry out attacks. They 
release  videos  of  successful  attacks,  the  torture  and  execution  of  victims,  and  disseminate 
messages  supporting  and  further  encouraging  terrorist  attacks  and  acts  of  violence  through 
sophisticated encrypted channels. The internet provides radical recruiters more opportunities 
to interact with people who would not otherwise be reachable by conventional means. Online 
interactions  with  like-minded  individuals  can  substitute  for  an  individual’s  physical 
community and create an online social environment in which deviant behaviour and violence 
are  acceptable.  While  such  online  material  does  not  necessarily,  on  its  own,  radicalise 
individuals, it appears to play a role in accelerating the radicalisation process. Interaction with 
others through internet channels fuels a sense of belonging and common cause. 

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Addressing the root-causes of extremism therefore requires action to tackle the surge of hate 
speech as well as the dissemination of extremist or terrorist material online. It also calls for 
measures to strengthen the individual’s resilience against such propaganda. 

  Working with industry and civil society 

In  December  2015,  the  EU  established  the  EU  Internet  Forum  bringing  together  industry, 
Member  States,  law  enforcement  and  civil  society  partners  to  explore  how  to  tackle  the 
challenges  of  terrorist  and  extremist  propaganda  online  through  a  reinforced  voluntary 
cooperation, whilst safeguarding fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression.  

Regarding  terrorist  content  online,  efforts  are  currently  focusing  on  two  areas:  restricting 
accessibility  to  terrorist  material  on  the  one  hand,  and  empowering  civil  society  partners  to 
counter the violent extremist propaganda with positive narratives on the other hand. The EU 
Internet Referral Unit  at Europol plays a vital role in  supporting the first objective. It helps 
identify  terrorist  content  online,  and  refers  the  material  to  the  company  on  whose  site  the 
material is hosted, where it is assessed to be in breach of the company's terms and conditions. 
It is ultimately the company's decision as to whether to remove the material. The RAN Centre 
of Excellence and its working group on 'Communication and Narratives' will continue to build 
on  its  experience  in  working  with  civil  society  partners  on  the  second  objective  and  offer 
insights into the development of alternative and counter-narratives14.  

The  Commission,  Europol,  Member  States,  civil  society  and  industry  are  working  on  a 
toolbox  of  targeted  actions,  to  be  launched  in  the  coming  months.  This  will  include  a  Joint 
Referral Platform to be developed by the internet industry with the contribution of different 
stakeholders.  The  aim  is  to  strengthen  the  referrals  process  and  prevent  removed  material 
from  being  re-uploaded  on  to  other  platforms.  Furthermore,  an  EU-wide  Civil  Society 
Empowerment Programme, to be coordinated by the RAN Centre of Excellence together with 
industry  and  civil  society  partners  across  Member  States,  will  provide  training,  technical 
support  and  analyses  of  the  effectiveness  of  counter  narrative  campaigns.  In  this  respect, 
victims of terrorism but also religious leaders and communities are well-placed in providing 
alternative and counter messages. The implementation of the different initiatives under the EU 
Internet Forum will be supported by targeted research on terrorists' use of the internet. 

Furthermore,  the  Commission  together  with  Facebook,  Twitter,  YouTube  and  Microsoft 
established a code of conduct to combat the spread of illegal hate speech online in Europe15. 
In line with the Joint statement issued by the extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council 
of  24  March  2016,  this  will  ensure  that  IT  companies  quickly  and  effectively  review  and, 
where necessary, remove hate speech which breaches national laws transposing EU law16 and 
to  make  it  easier  for  civil  society  and  Member  States'  authorities  to  report  illegal  content. 
Further work will focus on how to promote transparency in the application of notice and take 
down procedures and encourage counter and alternative narratives.  

On-going  initiatives  on  hate  speech,  such  as  the  "No  Hate  Speech  Movement"  campaign, 
supported by the Council of Europe, and further grass-root initiatives are crucial in promoting 

14 http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/ran-
papers/docs/issue_paper_cn_oct2015_en.pdf.  
15 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-1937_en.htm.  
16 EU Framework Decision (2008/913/JHA) on combating racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law. 

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equality and preventing racism and radicalisation. The Commission will support civil society 
in  monitoring  and  diminishing  the  attraction  and  impact  of  hate  speech  through  the  Rights, 
Equality and Citizenship Programme17. 

The  Commission  will  continue  to  finance  the  Strategic  Communications  Advisory 
Team/Strategic Communications Network. Expertise developed within the project is available 
to Member States, civil society as well as EU institutions in developing the appropriate policy 
framework, communication campaigns or individual initiatives. In addition to the creation of 
a network for sharing and exchanging best practice the projects provides practical support and 
counselling that can facilitate the development of effective counter narratives.  

  Updating legislation 

The  Audiovisual  Media  Services  Directive18  already  requires  Member  States  to  ensure  that 
audiovisual  media  services  –  such  as  TV  broadcasts  and  video-on-demand  services  do  not 
contain any incitement to hatred based on race, sex, religion or nationality. As hate speech on 
video-sharing  platforms  has  increasingly  given  rise  to  concern,  in  its  proposal  to  revise  the 
Directive19, the Commission aims to ensure that video-sharing platforms be required to take 
appropriate measures to protect citizens from incitement to violence or hatred. Such measures 
include for example reporting and flagging. The proposal foresees that the Codes of Conduct 
developed  by  the  industry  are  submitted  to  the  Commission,  that  the  European  Regulators' 
Group for Audiovisual Media Services may be asked give an opinion on these codes, and that 
the 
national  audiovisual-regulators  are  empowered 
Commission will regularly assess the effectiveness of self-regulatory measures with a view to 
supporting them where needed, including by creating appropriate frameworks to provide legal 
certainty where necessary. The Commission will also broker a new Alliance to better protect 
children online20, as part of its efforts to encourage industry to develop codes of conduct to 
support the implementation of the proposed update of the EU's audiovisual rules. 

them.  Furthermore, 

to  enforce 

  Supporting media literacy  

The Safer Internet Digital Service Infrastructure funded under the Connecting Europe facility 
allows  national  Safer  Internet  Centres  to  raise  awareness  among  children,  parents  and 
teachers, of the risks children may encounter online and to empower them to deal with these 
risks.  Some  Safer  Internet  Centres  have  responded  to  the  emerging  issue  of  online 
radicalisation,  which  requires  specific  expertise  to  deal  with  it  in  an  appropriate  way.  For 
example,  the  UK  Safer  Internet  Centre  has  produced  guidance  on  how  to  protect  children 
from  online  extremism.  In  Austria,  the  Safer  Internet  Centre  is  working  on  a  strategy  to 
handle  online  radicalisation,  collaborating  with  specialist  organisations.  And  the  Swedish 
Safer  Internet  Centre  has  developed  educational  material  aimed  at  strengthening  teenagers' 
abilities to see through propaganda. 

17 Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme - Work Programme for 2016.  
 http://ec.europa.eu/justice/grants1/programmes-2014-2020/files/rec_awp_2016/rec_awp_2016_annex_en.pdf.   
18 Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2010 on the coordination of 
certain  provisions  laid  down  by  law,  regulation  or  administrative  action  in  Member  States  concerning  the 
provision of audiovisual media services. 
19 Proposal for amending Directive 2010/13/EU on audiovisual media services SWD (2016) 168. 
20 https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/commission-broker-new-alliance-better-protect-minors-
online.  

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Key actions: 

  Under the EU Internet Forum: develop a Joint Referral Platform to improve the speed 
and  effectiveness  of  the  referrals  process  and  set  up  a  civil  society  empowerment 
programme to significantly ramp up the training and support for civil society partners 
in  order  to  enhance  the  volume  of  effective  positive  alternative  narratives  delivered 
online. 

  RAN  Centre  of  Excellence  to  provide  for  a  platform  of  exchange  of  experiences  and 
best practices in enhancing media literacy and critical thinking on the internet, and to 
develop  an  EU-wide  campaign    with  a  view  to  strengthening  resilience  against 
radicalisation  online  to  provide  alternative  narratives  or  alternative  actions  (Exit 
Hate campaign). 

  Commission and relevant IT companies to monitor the public commitments in the code 
of  conduct  countering  illegal  hate  speech  online,  including  their  impact.  Improve 
transparency in the application of notice and take down procedures.  

3. Breaking the cycle: addressing radicalisation in prisons  

The  European  Commission  is  already  supporting  Member  States,  whose  competence  it 
primarily is, in their efforts to prevent and counter radicalisation in prisons. In line with the 
2015  Council  Conclusions  on  the  criminal  justice  response  to  radicalisation21,  Eurojust  is 
monitoring the developments and trends with regard to the applicable legislative framework 
and  relevant  jurisprudence  in  the  Member  States  on  terrorism  and  violent  radicalisation, 
including  the  use  of  alternatives  to  prosecution  and  detention  to  inform  policy  makers  and 
inform  the  development  of  future  initiatives.  This  is  done,  inter  alia,  through  the  Terrorism 
Conviction  Monitor  and  through  Eurojust  tactical  meetings  on  terrorism.  Furthermore  the 
Commission  has  provided  EUR  8  million  in  2015  and  2016  to  implement  the  Council 
conclusions,  providing  funding  for  the  development  of  rehabilitation  and  de-radicalisation 
programmes inside and outside prisons, risk assessment tools and training of professionals.  

Moreover, the Commission is working with the European Confederation for Probation and the 
European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services, both funded by operating grants 
under  the  Justice  Programme,  to  involve  them  in  specific  training  of  prison  and  probation 
staff. The Commission is also working closely with the European Judicial Training Network 
and is currently funding a training programme on radicalisation for judges and prosecutors to 
provide  them  with  the  necessary  knowledge  and  skills  to  deal  with  radicalised  people,  and 
make  available  risk  assessment  tools  and  methodologies  for  determining  the  level  of  threat 
posed  by  suspects  of  terrorist  crimes.  It  is  also  important  to  facilitate  the  sharing  of  best 
practices amongst Member States in tackling radicalisation in prisons.  

The  RAN  Centre  of  Excellence's  activities  will  continue  to  cover  radicalisation  in  prisons, 
most notably with its working group on prison and probation, allowing local practitioners to 
exchange  best  practices,  issue  recommendations,  and  develop  or  review  guidelines  and 

21 Council Conclusions of 20 November 2015 on on enhancing the criminal justice response to radicalisation 
leading to terrorism and violent extremism, http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2015/11/20-
conclusions-radicalisation/. 

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implementing  mechanisms  and  programmes 

to  prevent  and  counter 
handbooks  on 
radicalisation in prison and to promote rehabilitation and reintegration, including in particular 
guidance on developing multi-agency approaches as well as more specific intervention tools, 
such  as  risk  assessments.  First  lessons  learnt,  recommendations  and  identification  of 
challenges have been set out in the RAN issues paper "Dealing with radicalisation in a prison 
and  probation  context"  covering  aspects  such  as  developing  multi-agency  cooperation,  risk 
assessments,  risk  management  including  prison  conditions  and  regime  choices  and 
reintegration programmes22.  

Key actions: 

  Using the RAN Centre of Excellence to exchange good practices and formulate policy 
recommendations  on  the  prevention  of  radicalisation  for  first-line  practitioners 
(including  where  appropriate  judges  and  prosecutors),  covering  the  prison  and 
probation sector.  

  Providing financial support to help Member States to develop risk assessment tools. 

  Supporting  the  development  of  education  and  training  programmes  in  prison 
(including  vocational  training)  to  enable  detainees  to  ease  their  reintegration  into 
society.  

  Supporting  the  development  of  rehabilitation  programmes  for  prisoners  by  Member 
States and the exchange of best practices and policies in the field of the execution of 
penal sanctions. 

  Promoting the sharing of information at Eurojust by specialised prosecutors.    

4. Promoting inclusive education and EU common values  

In the long run, high quality education from pre-school onwards remains the best safety net 
against social exclusion, which can be for some a factor in radicalisation. Yet, opportunities 
and outcomes are still determined by children's socio-economic backgrounds. 11.1% of young 
Europeans leave school early and will enter the labour market with a disadvantage that is very 
difficult to overcome later23. Tackling these issues while transmitting EU common values to 
young  people  and  allowing  them  to  make  informed  choices  are  therefore  critical  preventive 
measures.  

On  17  March  2015,  Education  Ministers  and  the  European  Commission  adopted  the 
Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-
discrimination through education24, which defines common objectives for Member States and 
calls for EU-level supportive actions. On this basis, the Commission has already mobilised its 
policy and financial tools and will adopt further concrete steps to support Member States in 
their work.  

22  http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/ran-
news/docs/ran_p_and_p_practitioners_working_paper_en.pdf.  
23 All figures in this chapter are extracted from the 2015 Education and Training Monitor.  
24 Paris Declaration, http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/2015/documents/citizenship-education-
declaration_en.pdf.  

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
  A strengthened framework for policy support and cooperation 

While Member States are responsible for their own education and training systems, EU policy 
can  support  national  action  and  help  address  common  challenges,  notably  within  the 
Education and Training 2020 cooperation framework25. The Commission will propose a draft 
Council  Recommendation  to  promote  effective  policies  and  best  practices,  underpinned  by 
funding  opportunities,  thus  allowing  for  a  more  coordinated  approach  throughout  the  EU. 
This Recommendation will give concrete guidance to policy-makers, helping them to take the 
steps needed to achieve the national and local objectives of the Paris Declaration. Experience 
with frameworks such as the early school leaving framework26 has shown that this approach 
yields rapid and effective results. 

  Making the most of EU funding 

Erasmus+  funds  transnational  cooperation  projects  and  policy  support27.  In  2014  alone,  it 
provided  financing  for  over  1700  projects  across  the  education,  training,  youth  and  sport 
sectors. As of 2016, priority is given to actions and projects that foster inclusion and promote 
fundamental  values,  echoing  the  objectives  of  the  Paris  Declaration.  As  a  result,  EUR  400 
million is now available to develop new policies and projects supporting these priorities, and 
an  additional  EUR  13  million  will  be  spent  on  helping  to  spread  and  scale  up  grassroots 
initiatives.    

  Supporting educators and educational institutions 

Schools have a key role in fostering inclusion and, as core parts of communities, work closely 
with parents and local associations. Regular contacts with representatives of civil society and 
role  models  can  make  a  difference  in  motivating  young  people  and  preventing  them  from 
drifting  to  the  margins  of  society.  These  kinds  of  networks  already  exist  in  some  Member 
States28, and should be scaled up at European level to reach a critical mass of young people. 
The  Commission  will  therefore  establish  a  network  to  enable  local  stakeholders  to  invite 
people  from  various  backgrounds,  such  as  entrepreneurs,  artists,  sportspersons,  as  well  as 
formerly  radicalised  people  when  appropriate,  to  visit  schools,  youth  initiatives,  sport  clubs 
and prisons to share their experiences.29   

Teachers  are  particularly  important.  They  are  well  placed  to  detect  early  signs  of 
radicalisation in pupils and help address them. More generally, teachers should be equipped to 
address  diversity  in  the  classroom  and  pass  on  common  values  to  pupils.  Since  teachers  in 
many Member States are faced with similar challenges, peer learning and direct exchanges at 
EU level can help to identify best practices. The EU will continue supporting such exchanges 
through eTwinning, an internet platform connecting teachers and classrooms across Europe30 

25 Council Conclusions of 12 May 2009 on a Strategic framework for European cooperation in education and 
training (ET 2020), https://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/educ/107622.pdf.  
26 Council Recommendation of 28 June 2011 on policies to reduce early school leaving.  
27 At least 28% and 4.2% of the total budget respectively, i.e, EUR 14,7 billion for the 2014-2020 period. 
28 For example the the Réserve Citoyenne in France, http://www.lareservecitoyenne.fr/.  
29 This network, funded under Erasmus + will be launched as a pilot project with a focus on violent radicalisation 
in deprived areas in some Member States.  
30 Currently reaching 300,000 teachers and totalling 406 projects, eTwinning is the biggest teacher network in 
the  world  and  already  offers  a  wide  array  of  courses  in  all  fields  of  education,  including  on  citizenship  and 
intercultural dialogue.  

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
and within the RAN working group on education. Finally, the Commission will work closely 
with  the  Council  of  Europe  and  UNESCO  to  better  implement  existing  tools  designed  to 
support teachers31.  

Students  and  staff  of  higher  education  institutions  also  play  an  important  role.  The 
Commission encourages higher education institutions to engage with local communities and 
to  recognise  students'  efforts  to  do  so,  for  instance  by  granting  students  credits  for 
volunteering or other learning modules.  

Key actions:  

  Proposing a Council Recommendation to enhance social inclusion and promote Europe's 

fundamental values through education and non-formal learning.    

  Making available through Erasmus+ more than EUR 400 million in 2016 to transnational 
partnerships  to  develop  innovative  policy  approaches  and  practices  at  grass-root  level, 
prioritising  social  inclusion,  the  promotion  of  common  values  and  intercultural 
understanding.  Erasmus+  will  scale  up  actions  developed  at  grass-root  level  with  a 
dedicated envelope of EUR 13 million in 2016. 

  Establishing  a  network  to  facilitate direct  contacts  with  positive  role  models  in  schools, 

youth, sport clubs and prisons.   

  Promoting the award of student credits for volunteering, and the development of curricula 

that combine academic content with civic engagement through Erasmus+.   

5.  Promoting inclusive, open and resilient societies and reaching out to young people 

The  EU  stands  for  societies  in  which  pluralism,  non-discrimination,  tolerance,  justice, 
solidarity  and  equality  between  men  and  women  prevail32.  Combatting  social  exclusion  and 
discrimination, and promoting social justice and protection are objectives of the EU in their 
own  right33.  Such  societies  should  prove  to  be  more  resilient  to  the  threats  of  violent 
extremism.  

Countering  discrimination,  including  on  the  grounds  of  religion  or  belief,  race  or  ethnic 
origin,  tackling  hatred  and  stigmatisation  of  communities,  and  combating  hate  crime  and 
serious  forms  of  hate  speech  are  all  key  elements  in  this  respect.  Member  States  need  to 
enforce EU legislation on combating racism and xenophobia and discrimination on grounds of 
religion or belief and agreement is now needed on the Commission proposal to complete the 
anti-discrimination  framework  on  the  grounds  of  inter  alia  religion34.  Intercultural  and 
interfaith dialogue between communities is of particular importance. Community leaders and 
civil  society  need  to  be  supported  to  foster  exchanges  and  joint  projects  between  different 

31  The  Competence  Framework  on  Democratic  Citizenship  to  be  launched  in  April  and  the  "Teaching 
controversial  issues"  programme  as  well  as  the  UNESCO  pedagogical  guidance  on  Global  Citizenship 
Education. 
32 Article 2 TEU. 
33 Article 3 TEU. 
34  Proposal  for  a  Council  Directive  on  implementing  the  principle  of  equal  treatment  between  persons 
irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, COM (2008) 426 final. 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
 
communities.  The  Commission  has  allocated  EUR  4.5  million  in  2016  to  projects  to  create 
better  understanding  between  communities,  including  religious  communities,  to  prevent  and 
combat racism and xenophobia through interreligious and intercultural activities.  

EU  social  and  employment  policies  seek  to  eradicate  poverty  and  promote  inclusive  labour 
markets and societies. One of the best ways to tackle social exclusion is through employment. 
One of the challenges faced by the Member States is to reduce the numbers of youth not in 
Employment,  Education  or  Training  (NEETs).  The  EU  can  help  with  the  policy  guidance 
delivered  through  instruments,  such  as  the  Youth  Guarantee  and  the  Youth  Employment 
Initiative,  the  Recommendation  on  long  term  unemployed  and  the  recently  adopted  Skills 
Agenda35.  In  addition,  the  Directive  2000/78  on  equal  treatment  in  employment  and 
education36  helps  to  fight  discrimination,  including  through  raising  awareness  about 
discrimination among stakeholders, civil society and social partners.  

Moreover,  the  European  Social  Fund  supports  national  schemes  and  small  local  projects. 
From 2014 to 2020, EUR 25.6 billion will go directly towards fostering the social inclusion of 
disadvantaged  groups,  for  instance  through  tailor-made  training  programmes  and  social 
support schemes. In addition, more than EUR 8 billion will be used to help schools address 
early  school  leaving  and  increase  access  to  quality  education  for  all,  for  instance  through 
adapting school curricula, teacher education courses and individual support to disadvantaged 
learners.  The  European  Social  Fund  is  expected  to  reach  2.5  million  disadvantaged  people, 
including  1.3  million  who  are  unemployed  or  inactive.  In  addition,  the  Programme  for 
Employment  and  Social  Innovation  (EaSI)  can  fund  innovative  projects  on  the  ground,  
fostering social inclusion. 

Youth work powerfully reaches out to young people, especially the disadvantaged, and helps 
them become engaged citizens, avoiding marginalisation and vulnerability to extremist views. 
Engagement of youth workers is important as part of a broader collaboration with all relevant 
actors, including with educational institutions, community organisations, employers and those 
closest  to  young  people:  their  families  and  friends.  To  support  this,  the  Commission  will 
develop  a  specific  toolkit  of  best  practices in  close  cooperation  with the  Member  States  for 
youth  workers  and  educators.  This  will  provide  examples  of  how  to  help  young  people 
increase  their  democratic  resilience,  become  media  literate  and  think  critically,  on  how  to 
teach young people to resolve conflicts and respect the views of others and on how to spot and 
react to early signs of radicalisation. To bolster the impact of youth work on the ground, the 
Commission  will also  strengthen the European Voluntary  Service by increasing its budget37 
and give priority to projects promoting fundamental values and reaching out to disadvantaged 
people and communities. 

Key actions: 

  Continue to work with the European Parliament and the Council towards the adoption of 

the anti-discrimination directive. 

35  A  New  Skills  Agenda  for  Europe:  Working  together  to  strengthen  human  capital,  employability  and 
competitiveness (COM(2016) 381). 
36 Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in 
employment and occupation. 
37 The budget (EUR 65 million in 2016) is scheduled to increase by 15% annually between 2017 and 2020. 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
  Fostering  social  inclusion  of  disadvantaged  groups  through  policy  measures  and  the 

European Social Fund and Programme for Employment and Social Innovation. 

  Enhancing  support  to  youth  workers  and  organisations,  particularly  by  developing  a 

toolkit.  

  Strengthening the European Voluntary Service.  

6. The security dimension of addressing radicalisation 

Preventing and countering radicalisation has a strong security dimension, as highlighted in the 
recent  Communication  "Delivering  on  the  European  Agenda  on  Security  to  fight  against 
terrorism and pave the way towards an effective and genuine Security Union". Member States 
can  take  security  measures  to  prevent  young  people  from  leaving  to  conflict  zones  to  join 
terrorist  groups.  These  include  measures  such  as  travel  prohibitions,  the  criminalisation  of 
traveling to a third  country for terrorist  purposes, but  also measures through which families 
and  friends  can  call  upon  the  help  of  public  authorities  such  as  hotlines.  Furthermore, 
extremist  preachers  and  those  disseminating  terrorist  propaganda  or  those  recruiting 
vulnerable  individuals  may  face  criminal  charges.  Member  States  may  issue  travel  bans  to 
prevent  extremist  preachers  from  entering  the  EU,  and  may  intervene  against  the 
dissemination of extremist messages through administrative measures. Such measures are the 
necessary complement to measures enhancing resilience against radicalisation. 

Information  sharing  is  key  in  this  respect.  The  EU’s  border  management,  migration  and 
security cooperation frameworks and information tools need to be joined up, strengthened and 
fully  used38  to  effectively  prevent  EU  citizens  from  travelling  to  conflict  zones  for  terrorist 
purposes and detecting those that pose a risk upon their return. These and other frameworks 
and tools need to be used to exchange information of those suspected of radicalisation in order 
to  facilitate  the  work  of  the  relevant  authorities  across  borders  in  taking  the  appropriate 
measures against persons representing a high security risk. 

The Schengen Information System (SIS) is of particular importance in this regard. An alert in 
SIS can generate different actions depending on the assessment and intention of the Member 
State inserting it, i.e. a person can be arrested, placed under protection or subject of a discreet 
or  specific  check.  SIS  has  also  been  useful  to  prevent  terrorist travel  and  to  trace  the  travel 
routes of persons suspected for terrorism. In  the context of the foreign terrorist fighters, the 
Commission encouraged Member States to signal that the alert concerns a "terrorism related 
activity"  without  limiting  it  to  foreign  terrorist  fighters  or  criminal  activities  as  such.  It  can 
thus be used to include alerts on those suspected of being radicalised towards committing acts 
of terrorism.   

Furthermore,  Member  States  should  step  up  their  efforts  to  ensure  that  appropriate 
information is exchanged and shared with Europol. The recently created European Counter-
terrorism  Centre  (ECTC)  at  Europol  aims  to  become  a  central  information  hub  in  the  fight 
against terrorism in the EU, including as regards radicalisation risks.   

In  addition,  the  Europol  Information  System  (EIS)  is  positioned  to  serve  as  a  central 
repository of law enforcement data, including the consolidated list of all known or suspected 

38  See Commission Communication of 6 April on Stronger and Smarter Information Systems for Borders and 
Security, COM (2016) 205.  

13 

 
 
 
 
                                                            
Foreign Terrorism Fighters. Member States still need to step up their efforts significantly to 
provide the necessary data on Foreign Terrorist Fighters to Europol.  

Key actions: 

  The Commission will by end 2016, propose to revise the Schengen Information System to 
further improve its added value for law enforcement and counter-terrorism purposes.  
  Member States should proactively exchange all relevant information with other Member 
States, and Europol  where appropriate, on released convicts suspected of  radicalisation 
or known radical individuals, in order to ensure close monitoring of those representing a 
high risk.  

7.  The  international  dimension:  addressing  violent  radicalisation  beyond  the  EU's 
borders 

Like EU Member States, third countries also face the challenges of responding to the security 
threat of radicalisation, address its root-causes and build resilient and cohesive societies. The 
EU actively works with the UN, the Council of Europe and OSCE in their efforts to counter 
violent  extremism, 
the  Global 
Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) initiatives39. 

through  continued  support 

for  example 

through 

EU  action  in  the  international  arena  follows  two  complementary  approaches.  First,  when 
assisting  third  countries,  the  EU  will  support  law  enforcement  and  human  rights  compliant 
responses that aim to prevent radicalised individuals from committing terrorist acts. Secondly, 
and more importantly, the EU will step up engagement in preventive action, tackling the root 
causes of certain forms of radicalisation that can lead to violent extremism.  

  Strengthening partner countries' security capacities 

Where possible, EU support is framed within wider reforms aimed at strengthening security 
capacities in partner countries since organised crime, smuggling and illicit trafficking as well 
as  weak  border  management  have  proven  links  with  violent  radicalisation.  The  EU  and  its 
Member States must be better equipped to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in third 
countries. To this end, the EU will further expand expertise and refine situation awareness in 
countries  that  present  the  highest  risks.  For  example,  in  the  Middle  East  and  North  Africa 
support will be provided to establish effective criminal justice systems to cooperate regionally 
and internationally in fighting radicalisation. 

The  EU  is  engaging  with  countries  through  counter  terrorism  and  targeted  and  upgraded 
security  dialogues  leading  to  the  creation  of  counterterrorism  packages  and  roadmaps.  The 
review  of  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy  addresses  several  aspects  related  to  tackling 
radicalisation,  by  giving  priority  to  youth,  education  and  socio-economic  development. 
Tangible  progress  has  been  made  so  far  with  Tunisia,  Lebanon  and  Jordan.  Further  actions 
tackling  violent  extremism  will  be  launched  in  order  to  implement  the  EU  Regional  Sahel 
Action  Plan.  A  number  of  specific  activities  to  counter  radicalisation  are  taking  place  in 

39 Notably Hedayah and the Global Community Engagement Resilience Fund. 

14 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
Pakistan  and  South  East  Asia.  Similar  work  is  taking  place  in  the  Horn  of  Africa  and  EU 
support will be extended after the successful conclusion of various pilot projects in the region. 

  Supporting third countries in tackling the underlying factors of radicalisation 

Preventing  and  countering  violent  extremism  has  become  a  key  component  of  the  EU's 
external  counter-terrorism  activities  and  has  been  mainstreamed  into  development  policy 
bridging  the  gap  between  security  and  development.  The  EU  funded  package  of 
"Strengthening  Resilience  to  Violence  and  Extremism"  (STRIVE)40  activities    has  been  the 
precursor  to  the  development  of  an  increasing  number  of  initiatives  aimed  at  identifying 
drivers  for  youth  extremism,  empowering  women,  promoting  community  dialogue, 
strengthening  local  actors  or  improving  the  media  and  education  capacities  to  counter 
radicalising ideologies.  

Financial support to civil society will factor in the anti-radicalisation dimension, as specified 
in the 2015 review of the European Neighbourhood Policy41. The EU will further interact with 
civil  society,  practitioners  and  academia,  including  in  partner  countries,  to  deepen  its 
understanding  of  the  driving  factors  and  identify  effective  responses.  Where  possible,  the 
experience and expertise gained with the RAN will be mobilised outside the EU's borders, in 
priority  third  countries,  especially  in  Turkey,  the  MENA  region  and  the  Western  Balkans, 
provided certain requirements are fulfilled. 

The  EU  is  offering  a  more  positive  narrative  through  targeted  communication  to  young 
audiences that may be more vulnerable to radicalisation. Among numerous ongoing activities, 
a  Strategic  Communication  Task  Force  works  with  EU  Delegations  in  Arab  countries  and 
with  the  Anti-ISIL  Global  Coalition  to  identify  shared  values  and  develop  concrete  actions. 
For  example,  the  EU  co-funds  a  project  in  Tunisia  to  increase  financial  inclusion  among 
vulnerable communities through micro-credits. The Commission finances a project of EUR 3 
million for Tunisia, Morocco and Lebanon that helps build community resilience by working 
with the civil society and amplifying voices through strategic communications.  

The EU will encourage direct contacts between people. It will extend further the eTwinning 
platform  to  selected  countries  of  the  European  Neighbourhood,  especially  those  facing 
problems related to  violent  radicalisation and where intercultural dialogue is  most  needed42. 
The Commission will also launch an Erasmus+ project to connect students and other young 
people from the EU and third countries. These moderated virtual exchanges will help young 
people  develop  mutual  understanding  and  respect  and  also  improve  intercultural  skills  that 
employers are looking for.  

Key actions: 

  Supporting international organisations in their work to counter violent extremism. 

40 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/strive-development-strengthening-resilience-violence-and-extremism_en. 
41  The EU has provided substantial support to counter-terrorism measures by means of a variety of instruments, 
in  particular  under  the  Instrument  contributing  to  Stability  and  Peace  (IcSP),  the  European  Neighbourhood 
Instrument (ENI) and through wider development.   
42  The  eTwinning  network  is  already  active  in  some  third  countries,  notably  in  Tunisia,  where  nearly  300 
teachers and 85 schools are currently registered on this online platform. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
  Additional  initiatives  to  focus  EU's  external  financial  instruments  on  the  prevention  of 

violent radicalisation. 

  Continue support to the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF) initiatives working on 

preventing and countering violent extremism.  

  Extending 

further  eTwinning  Plus  networks 

to  selected  countries  of 

the  EU's 

neighbourhood.  

  Launching a feasibility project for Erasmus+ Virtual Exchanges to promote online 

engagement of young people with the aim of reaching 200,000 young people by 2019. 

Conclusion 

Violent  radicalisation  is  an  increasingly  complex  and  evolving  challenge  that  calls  for  new 
and  wide-ranging  responses,  from  immediate  security  concerns  to  addressing  underlying 
factors.  As  indicated  in  the  Commission  Communication  on  delivering  on  the  European 
Agenda  on  Security,  the  absolute  priority  must  be  to  prevent  more  people  from  being 
radicalised and  ensure  that  those  who  already are  enter  de-radicalisation  programmes  and 
are prevented from spreading terrorist propaganda and hate speech". Member States are in 
the front line, be it through its security and judiciary bodies, teachers, social workers and civil 
society. The EU can play a supportive role by mobilising its policies, its coordination capacity 
and  its  financial  instruments,  to  assist  national  actions  and  provide  real  added  value  on  the 
ground, within the limits of its competences. 

This  Communication  sets  out  concrete  actions  to  support  Member  States  in  introducing 
initiatives  and  policies  that  will  help  us  prevent  and  tackle  radicalisation  and  violent 
extremism within the EU and in third countries. The Commission encourages Member States 
to make use of the various support measures and cooperative tools at EU level to support their 
work.  In  the  end,  it  is  only  in  a  joint  effort  by  all  stakeholders  at  national,  EU  and 
international level that the challenge of violent radicalisation can be effectively overcome.  

The  Commission  invites  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  to  endorse  this 
Communication, with a view to implementing the actions proposed, in close cooperation with 
all relevant actors. 

16