At a high-level roundtable in Brussels, civil society and policy leaders called for granting WB6 observer status in ENISA and aligning the region with the EU’s Digital Services Act.

Brussels, 15 May 2025 – Policy experts and regional stakeholders have called for the structured integration of the Western Balkans Six (WB6) into the European Union’s digital and cybersecurity frameworks, including granting observer status in the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and aligning regional regulation with the Digital Services Act (DSA).

The event reflects the broader goals of OSF–WB, which works across EU integration, regional cooperation, and digital transformation. By supporting regional structures that align Western Balkans countries with EU policy cycles—and investing in digital transformation to boost competitiveness—OSF–WB aims to ensure a smoother and more equitable EU accession process. Initiatives like Ignita, a civil society-led platform, bring together governments, experts, and advocacy groups to shape unified regional proposals for digital governance, cybersecurity, and the just green transition

ENISA Observer Status Seen as Strategic Opening

The policy roundtable, held at the European Office of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Brussels, convened representatives from the European Commission, European Parliament, European External Action Service (EEAS), and regional organizations. Discussions centered on using the current revision of the EU Cybersecurity Act as a window of opportunity to allow for phased inclusion of WB6 countries in ENISA.

“Observer status in ENISA, tied to clear technical and political benchmarks, would create a framework for sustained cooperation,” said Mentor Vrajolli, Executive Director of the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS), one of the event organizers.

“Our work at KCSS is grounded in the belief that advancing the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU’s digital and cybersecurity structures is not only feasible, but urgent,” he added, referencing earlier consultations in Tirana and Berlin.

Harmonized DSA Implementation Across the Region

Beyond cybersecurity, speakers emphasized the need for the DSA’s coordinated implementation across the region. Maida Ćulahović of the Bosnia and Herzegovina-based organization Zašto ne warned that divergent national approaches could weaken regulatory effectiveness and increase the risk of disinformation.

“Voluntary compliance by private, for-profit tech companies is not something we can rely on,” she said. “Digital policy today intersects with every major strategic priority: democratic resilience, economic integration, human rights protection, and geopolitical stability.”

EU Enlargement, Cyber Resilience, and Strategic Investment

The panel included MEP Davor Ivo Stier, who linked digital integration to the broader EU enlargement agenda, and Michael Docherty of the Commission’s Directorate General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighborhood (DG ENEST), who underscored the strategic potential of digital infrastructure investment under the EU’s new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. Haris Avdić Pejičić of the EEAS pointed to growing hybrid threats as further rationale for institutional convergence between Brussels and the region.

Moderator Frauke Seebass from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) Berlin helped synthesize the discussion into actionable policy pathways.

Policy Recommendations and Institutional Alignment

The event concluded with the presentation of a roadmap co-developed by KCSS and Zašto ne under the IGNITA initiative. The recommendations included a phased model for granting ENISA observer status to WB6 countries, regional alignment strategies for the DSA and increased EU support for institutional capacity-building in digital governance.

“Already Connected—But Not Aligned”

Miodrag Milosavljević, Deputy Director at Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans, (OSF-WB) offered closing remarks that highlighted the region’s digital interdependence with the EU, contrasting it with lagging institutional structures.

“The Western Balkans are already inside Europe’s digital perimeter,” he said. “The question is not whether we are linked, but whether we are prepared to manage those connections securely.”romotes policy coherence across the region through joint advocacy and actionable recommendations.