KCSS Publishes New Policy Brief on Cybersecurity, FDI Screening, and the EU Rule of Law Report as Part of the IGNITA Initiative and GAINS Project

The Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) has published a new policy brief titled “Gradual Integration of the Six Western Balkan Countries in the European Union: EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), FDI Screening and the EU Rule of Law Report”, developed within the IGNITA initiative, supported by the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans, and the  GAINS. project.

The brief examines the progress of the Western Balkan Six (WB6) in three critical areas of gradual EU integration:

1. Cooperation and alignment with the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA);
2. Adoption of legislation and mechanisms required under the EU’s Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regulation;
3. Inclusion of the region in the EU Rule of Law Report (EURoLR).

The publication provides an updated assessment of reforms undertaken by each WB6 country since KCSS’s earlier policy briefs released in 2024 and 2025, highlighting areas of progress as well as outstanding gaps. Among the key findings:

• Most WB6 countries have taken steps toward cybersecurity legal alignment, but only Albania has a fully functional cybersecurity agency, while others remain at early operational stages.
• Progress in establishing FDI screening mechanisms remains limited, with Kosovo and Albania taking initial steps but most other countries yet to align with EU requirements.
• Inclusion in the EU Rule of Law Report remains uneven, with Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina still excluded, and the four included WB6 countries demonstrating mixed performance across justice, anti‑corruption, media freedom, and institutional checks and balances.

Mentor Vrajolli, executive director of KCSS said that “This brief shows that gradual EU integration of the Western Balkans can be promoted through agency‑level cooperation, and day‑to‑day interoperability. If institutions from our region plug into ENISA framework/practices, advance FDI screening rules, and are consistently covered by the EU Rule of Law Report, both resilience and trust improve.”

Ramadan Ilazi, Head of Research, KCSS & Team Leader of the GAINS project, stated that the “The Western Balkans do not need to wait for treaty change but they need access to EU operational systems now, especially on cybersecurity and FDI screening. Our Operational Integration Agenda published in January, focuses on low‑hanging but high‑impact steps such as advancing working arrangements with ENISA, pilot participation in FDI screening coordination, and structured inclusion in EU rule‑of‑law monitoring cycles. Interoperability before membership makes the enlargement track credible and both the EU and the region more resilient and safer, especially to malign foreign influence”.

The brief aims to support evidence‑based policymaking, inform public debate, and advance regional dialogue on EU integration reforms. It also serves as a monitoring instrument, comparing the state of play with recommendations advanced by KCSS in earlier publications.

This policy brief continues KCSS’s long‑term commitment to promoting gradual/phased accession of WB6 in EU’s security and rule of law frameworks, developing regional expertise, and strengthening institutional resilience across our region to malign foreign influence and FIMI.

The full policy brief is available for download on the KCSS website:Gradual Integration of the Six Western Balkan Countries in the European Union: EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), FDI Screening and the EU Rule of Law Report”