Statement on the Proposal on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034

Brussels, 17.07.2025

Key Points:

• In its 2028-2034 long-term budget proposal, the Commission merged programmes such as the Common Agricultural Policy and Cohesion Funds into larger funds under national centralised plans.
• While we also wish for budget flexibility, this drastic cut in the number of budget lines reduces the European Parliament’s control of the allocation of EU funds.
• We urge the Commission to respect the principle of subsidiarity enshrined in the treaties, to avoid sidelining regions in favour of national plans and continue to support less developed regions.  
• We call for a more federal MFF, based on increased own resources, in order to be able to face the current challenges and invest in safeguarding and enhancing European democracy.
• We call for a further increase to the merged Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps budget, as the announced 50% increase does not take into account inflation and will have to also cover the entry of new countries into the programme, which we welcome. 
• We welcome the increase of the Agora EU envelope now encompassing Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) but call on negotiators to be vigilant to have dedicated NGO funding sub-streams to support civil society, in a situation of anti-NGO political pushbacks.

While the EU indeed needs more budgetary flexibility, the Commission’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034 proposal published today is going a few steps too far by centralising budgets away from Parliamentary oversight and taking away ownership of regions.  We however welcome the increase in our own resources, albeit too timid, and the increased funding for civil society and youth funding.

The current proposal foresees the next EU budget at a mere 1.15% of gross national income once net of the Next Generation EU payment (compared to 1.13% in the current one), and while it would be the biggest ever, far from the size of the EU budget needed to face the current challenges and invest in European public goods, not only on defence but on global security including economic and social security. 

We welcome the Commission proposals to widen the EU’s own resources with new taxes on e-waste, tobacco products and companies in the EU, which align with EU policy goals. However, the EU needs an even stronger increase and diversification of its own resources and modes of using them (blending, loans etc. building on Next Generation EU). This would ensure financial stability and reduce reliance on Member State contributions, and provide clear European added value, in line with the principle of subsidiarity.

We worry about the shift towards a sidelining of the regions in the cohesion fund in favour of national plans and reduced amounts. While the current proposal includes national and regional plans, it remains vague and potentially concentrated at the national level. Subsidiarity is a key value of the European treaties and a core piece in a federal Europe. Regions are the cornerstone of Europe and should be involved in programming, delivering, and monitoring cohesion and structural funds.

We are disappointed to see the Commission proposing to merge the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values (CERV) with Creative Europe and multimedia programmes into the AGORA EU Programme. This might lead to a dilution of its original thematic purpose and make NGOs compete with over organisations, further increasing the shrinking of the civic space. JEF Europe calls for a separate, directly managed programme for civil society that is adequately funded to reflect the importance of civil society in protecting and promoting democracy. Additionally, we hope that the doubling of the strand compared to the past amounts dedicated to Creative Europe and CERV translates into an increase in the budget dedicated to NGOs since it is currently insufficient to support Civil Society Organisations in their task to defend democracy given the increasing attacks and worsening funding situation for them. 

“Addressing current global challenges and strengthening civic space through more efficient spending and increased EU own resources, independent of Member State contributions, is essential. This is especially important as civil society is under attack from far-right groups in Parliament and some national governments, although a strong CSO space fulfills its treaty-based role” says Alexiane Terrochaire – -Barbançon, Vice President of JEF Europe.

Erasmus+ is one of the best-known and most successful EU funding programmes. With its merger with the European Solidarity Corps programme, its increase to  EUR 40.8bn remains insufficient once inflation and its planned and welcomed extension to new countries are taken into account Erasmus has contributed substantially to creating a European spirit that has shaped millions of students and young people across Europe, and while the European Youth Forum (to which JEF Europe belongs) has repeatedly stressed that it to cover every young European  a fivefold increase in its budget is needed, this Commission leaves it underfunded. 

“Erasmus+ has been the key policy to support young people in Europe and foster the youth’s sense of belonging to the EU and their European citizenship, two crucial aspects to encourage their participation in EU’s democratic processes. Yet the Commission doesn’t have the political vision to fully unleash its potential because of a continued underfunding in the proposed budget,” laments Xesc Mainzer Cardell, Vice President of JEF Europe.

We call on the Council and the European Parliament to increase this budget and make it future-proof, putting emphasis on increasing Europe’s capacity to react quickly to the shifting global currents, enforce rule of law and continue to support Ukraine all the while investing in all EU public goods, such as climate action and a strong democracy! 

 

About JEF Europe
The Young European Federalists (JEF Europe) is a political youth NGO advocating for the creation of a democratic European federation as a guarantee for peace, the rule of law, and human rights. JEF Europe promotes true European citizenship, works for the widening and deepening of the European Union, and strives for a more just and integrated society on the European continent. Established in 1972, the organisation has more than 10,000 activists organised in over 300 national, regional, and local sections in 37 countries. 

Read more:

– JEF  Resolution Towards a real Federal Budget

Position of Partners:
– Civil Society Europe: Our Statement on the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme in the Next EU Budget
– European Youth Forum: More Erasmus = More Europe

Contacts:

Alexiane TERROCHAIRE-BARBANCON

Vice President 

Young European Federalists (JEF Europe)

alexiane.terrochaire-barbancon@jef.eu

 

Xesc Mainzer Cardell

Vice President

Young European Federalists (JEF Europe)
xesc.mainzer@jef.eu