Thursday 8 December 2016: EU Internet Forum

The news:

On 8 December 2016, the Commission will host the second EU Internet Forum bringing together the Commission - with the participation of Commissioners Dimitris Avramopoulos and Julian King - Member States, EUROPOL, the Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) and Internet companies. The meeting will take stock of progress made under the two objectives of the Forum, namely on reducing the accessibility to terrorist propaganda online and empowering civil society to increase the volume of effective alternative narratives online. The Commission will also report on progress in addressing the surge of xenophobic and racist motivated online hate speech.

The background:

On 3 December 2015, the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos in cooperation with the Commissioner for Justice, Consumer and Gender Equality, Věra Jourová, launched the EU Internet Forum. The Forum brings together the industry, Member States and other stakeholders to secure a joint, voluntary approach to detect and address harmful material online.

As indicated in the second Progress Report towards an effective and sustainable Security Union of 16 November 2016, preventing radicalisation is a key component of the EU's approach to tackling terrorism: using "soft" tools to deliver hard results. The report further highlights that targeting young and vulnerable groups through grassroots community projects as well as denying terrorists the online propaganda channels are among the main actions aimed at preventing radicalisation leading to violent extremism.

The event:

The event will take place on 8 December in Berlaymont building of the European Commission. A press point with Commissioners Avramopoulos and King will be live streamed on EBS - exact timing and details to be confirmed.

The sources:

Launch of EU Internet Forum

Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN)

Communication on effective and genuine Security Union

AGENDA/16/4251