Brussels, 17/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - Following the Paris attacks on 13 November, five political groups at the Committee of the Regions (EPP, PES, ECR, ALDE and the European Alliance) gave the go-ahead on Monday 16 November to set up a report for strengthening inter-regional cooperation between cities, with the goal of tackling radicalisation.
The rapporteur chosen is Bart Somers (ALDE, Belgium) and his starting point is based on the initiative by François Decoster (ALDE, France), the current President of the Committee on Citizenship, Governance, Institutional External Affairs (CIVEX). According to one source, this is the first initiative but others are certainly to follow suit.
The same source added that the report would seek to strengthen cooperation between the regions and cities and facilitate exchanges of good practices in the fight against radicalisation, particularly among young Muslims and within a context of the Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN). This platform was set up by the European Commission in 2011 for those active in the fight to prevent radicalism and extremism.
According to our source, the question of integrating refugees will be examined with particular attention and that this point will account for the main thrust of the draft report on migration, which is expected to be adopted during the next CoR plenary session. Our source added that “The common feature between radicalisation and migration is integration; we can be sure that some political groups here will be careful to avoid implying a direct link between refugees, who are fleeing bloodshed, and radicals, who are shedding blood”.
The decision on the report is expected to be endorsed during the next plenary session on 3-4 December next. According to the same source, this is simply, “a formality”. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)