Press
WB30’s press and publications highlight our work advocating for the accelerated accession of the Western Balkans to the European Union. This section features policy commentary, expert analysis, media coverage, and project updates focused on enlargement, reform progress, and the strategic importance of integration for both the region and Europe.
Through evidence-based insights and clear communication, we aim to support informed public debate, engage policymakers and partners, and promote practical pathways that advance the Western Balkans’ European future.
February 2026 Report
April 2026 Report
August 2026 Report
February 2026 Report
A Level Playing Field: Comparing the Western Balkans with Previous Eastern European Accessions
Research report by Heather Lindsay which examines the readiness of Western Balkan countries to join the EU, assessing whether the Western Balkans are comparable to former EU candidates at the time of their accession. Comparative analysis of economic and political indicators are used to evaluate the Western Balkans against former candidates, rather than against current accession criteria. These findings argue that the Western Balkans are equally, if not more prepared than previous accession candidates. EU accession for the Western Balkans is both feasible and strategically important for regional stability, security, and prosperity, highlighting the need to reconsider ‘readiness’ benchmarks with political imperative.
April 2026 Report
Fractured Peace and European Union Enlargement: The Case for a Collective Western Balkan Accession
Research report by Heather Lindsay which advocates for the Western Balkan states: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, to join the EU collectively by 2030, rather than through an individual, merit-based process. It argues that the EU’s current approach overlooks the region’s interconnected political, ethnic, and historical dynamics, leaving these states in ongoing instability.
The paper makes three key points: first, the EU has historically treated the region as a collective, and shifting away risks undermining past efforts; second, individual accession creates power imbalances and fails to address deep-rooted conflicts; third, collective accession offers a more stable path by tackling regional divisions together. It also warns that declining support for EU integration could increase influence from external powers like Russia and China.
Ultimately, the research concludes that collective accession is essential for regional stability and for the EU’s long-term security and credibility, urging a coordinated strategy that accelerates reform while reinforcing regional cohesion.
August 2026 Report
Securing Through Enlargement: Why Western Balkan Accession is a Strategic Imperative for the European Union
Joint Research Paper between WB30 and Friends of the Western Balkans, the author, Heather Lindsay argues that the collective accession of all six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) to the European Union would substantially strengthen European security and defence capabilities. At a critical moment when Russia poses an active military threat, U.S. commitment to NATO faces uncertainty, and EU member states operate in fragmented pol icy responses, the Western Balkans represent a strategic asset essential to European autonomy and resilience. The region occupies critical geographical terrain for military mobility, possesses valuable defence industrial capabilities, and serves as a key corridor for managing transnational security threats including migration, organised crime, and health security. Moreover, Western Balkan participation would help address environmental security challenges that directly impact EU citizens, while unlocking significant renewable energy and critical mineral resources needed for the green transition.
While concerns regarding corruption and governance persist, this research demonstrates that the costs of continued exclusion, including pol icy fragmentation, geopolitical vulnerability, and exposure to external influence, substantial ly outweigh the risks associated with enlargement. The question facing EU pol icymakers is therefore no longer whether the Western Balkans are important to European security, but whether Europe can afford to leave them outside its defence and security framework. Accession must be treated as an urgent strategic priority and integral component of European defence architecture, with accelerated timelines to strengthen political cohesion, enhance military interoperability, and secure Europe's southeastern flank.