Conclusions Paper: Thematic Panel 5, Meeting 6: How Can Evaluation Support Intervention and Disengagement

Thematic Panel 5 hosted its sixth meeting entitled "How can evaluation support intervention and disengagement?" in Bucharest. It was attended by participants from EU Member States including policy makers, mental health professionals, practitioners, researchers and law enforcement officers from across Europe. Participants were chosen following a balanced representation of gender and Member States, as well as considering the expertise of applicants and its fit into the topic of the thematic panel. In this regard, participants are retained across the meetings, bringing thus continuity to the debates in the different events, and avoiding duplications in the discussions.

Thematic Panel 5, as part of the EU Knowledge Hub of Prevention of Radicalisation, aims to gain a better understanding of mental health issues specifically in the context of radicalisation, extremism, terrorism and lone actors to enhance EU-level cooperation on the issue, expand and consolidate knowledge on related topics guided by EU strategic orientations on countering radicalisation, thereby supporting actors (e.g., policy makers and practitioners) in Member States and priority third countries in developing strategies, policies, methods, and practices, with the knowledge produced compiled into a final report translated into multiple languages.

The sixth meeting of Thematic Panel 5 provided a collaborative and interdisciplinary platform to evaluate real-world community interventions and analyse the frameworks used in rehabilitation. Special emphasis was placed on cases where mental health complexities-such as neurodivergence or trauma-influence an individual's transition away from extremism. Furthermore, the session reflected on the identification of systemic gaps and lessons learned regarding the radicalisation of minors, specifically examining how unique vulnerabilities and identity-building strategies impact youth-centric interventions.