RismadarVoice Reporters
September 21, 2026
Efforts to strengthen cybersecurity across the European Union are being hampered by inadequate information sharing among member states, according to findings by the European Court of Auditors.
The auditors said the 27-member bloc has increased investment in cybersecurity and strengthened cooperation mechanisms, but gaps in the exchange of information about cyber incidents continue to limit their effectiveness.
The EU has allocated about €1.4 billion to cybersecurity over its seven-year 2021–2027 budget period.
The auditors described poor information sharing as the “Achilles heel of the entire system,” warning that effective responses to major cyber incidents depend heavily on countries exchanging relevant information quickly.
“When a serious cyber incident occurs, timely and actionable information is essential,” the auditors said, adding that cooperation networks lose much of their value when such information is unavailable.
The report cited a ransomware attack on a technology provider serving the aviation industry in September 2025, which disrupted operations at airports in London, Brussels, Berlin, Dublin and other locations.
According to the auditors, none of the affected countries notified the EU cybersecurity agency or other member states about the incident.
The report also identified differences in national security legislation as an obstacle to sharing information when cyber incidents extend across national borders.
It noted that no EU member state has reported an incident classified as “large-scale” since 2016, despite the designation applying to attacks affecting at least two member states.
Concerns over implementation have also resulted in legal action at the European level.
In July, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain were referred to the EU Court of Justice over their failure to adjust national legislation to incorporate EU requirements relating to cybersecurity information sharing.
The findings come as European institutions continue efforts to strengthen the bloc’s ability to detect, report and respond collectively to cyber threats affecting multiple countries.
