As part of the objectives set by the EU Internal Security Strategy in Action, the European Commission is to establish the European radicalisation-awareness (RAN-TAS) to pool experiences, knowledge and good practices. In order to put it in place, the Commission has issued a call for tenders for the framework contract for technical assistance and support to the management of the RAN-TAS Network.

In order to promote cooperation over borders and between different disciplines, the Commission is preparing the establishment of an EU radicalisation-awareness network in partnership with the Committee of the Regions. The Network, which is to be set up by September 2011, will promote actions empowering communities and key groups that are engaged in the prevention of terrorist radicalisation and recruitment.

Through an online forum and EU-wide conferences, the network will aim at pooling experiences, knowledge and good practices for enhancing awareness of radicalisation and communication techniques that can challenge terrorist narratives. As highlighted by Commissioner Malmström responsible for Home Affairs at the London Counter Terrorism Conference held in April 2011, the Commission has earmarked additional funds for the coming years four times more than in 2010 in order to support these activities.

As part of the European Internal Security Strategy presented by the Commission in November 2010, the EU-wide Radicalisation Awareness Network will allow stakeholder groups involved in preventing terrorist radicalisation and recruitment to network, communicate and exchange best practices. It will also identify, test, assess and compare good, promising and bad practices and approaches to counter the phenomenon, and will also provide feed-back and information to EU and national level policy-makers.

Prior to the final establishment of the Network in September, the Commission has issued a contract notice (HOME-2011-ISEC-PR-015-A19 in order to sign a framework contract for technical assistance and support to the management of the radicalisation awareness network. This tender announcement, whose deadline is September 30th 2011, aims to provide stable, focused and effective technical assistance and support to the Commission's services in order to facilitate the work of the Network. Among others, the contract will include providing administrative and technical support and follow-up to the work and operations of the RAN, preparing and submitting to the Commission's services annual activity plans of the Network, providing document management, media and communication assistance, etc.