The RAN LOCAL Working Group was not part of RAN from the start. The creation of an EU platform for local governments to exchange information on multi-agency cooperation was recommended during a 2014 EU Cities conference on foreign terrorist fighters.

The inaugural meetings of RAN LOCAL were held in 2016. The constituency of RAN LOCAL is local P/CVE coordinators, working in municipalities within the EU. The most important topic and the first main theme of the Working Group is the development of the local strategy to prevent and counter radicalisation and violent extremism.

At the heart of this local strategy is multi-agency cooperation, in which many first-line practitioners are working together to prevent, detect and diminish violent extremism. The second main theme at the local level is engagement with (societal) stakeholders.

Success of P/CVE work hinges on a ‘whole of society’ approach. In addition to working with local practitioners, it is just as important to involve civil society, communities, families and religious leaders in the field of P/CVE.