Today, the European Commission released a communication on The Road to the Next Multiannual Financial Framework. It highlights key policy and budgetary challenges that will shape the next EU long-term budget. This document lays the groundwork for adapting the EUs budget to evolving needs and priorities. Alongside this, the Commission launches a Europe-wide campaign with stakeholders, including member state governments, regional entities, and citizens.
An EU Budget at the Core of EU Priorities
The EU budget supports citizens, farmers, researchers, businesses, and regions across Europe. It has been crucial in improving Europeans lives. Together with NextGenerationEU, it helped overcome a pandemic and energy crisis, saved millions of jobs, and invested in a clean and digital future. The EU budget also provided unprecedented support to Ukraine and Europes security amid Russias war.
The next long-term budget, starting in 2028, must meet rising expectations for EU action. To ensure it fits our ambitions and provides stable national contributions, new own resources are needed. The status quo is not an option. Choices must be made to maximize every euros impact, focusing on EU priorities and objectives where EU action is most needed.
New challenges and expectations require reconsidering the EU budget to make it future-proof. The objective of a free, democratic, strong, secure, prosperous, and competitive Europe calls for a reformed EU budget - simpler, more flexible, and impactful.
The new approach for a modern EU budget should include a plan for each country with key reforms and investments, designed in partnership with national, regional, and local authorities. A European Competitiveness Fund should support strategic sectors and critical technologies. Additionally, revamped external action financing should be impactful and aligned with strategic interests, contributing to a new foreign policy. The budget must also include safeguards protecting the rule of law. Moreover, the EU budget should rely on modernized revenues for sustainable financing of common priorities.
President von der Leyen said: The next long-term budget will empower our Unions shared vision for the future. It translates our common priorities into tangible actions that make a difference for millions of citizens, businesses, regions, and researchers. We invite all Europeans to have a say via public consultations, the citizens panel, or the engagement platform. Together, we are stronger.
Designing the Budget Together
The EU budget benefits all Europeans, and they should have a chance to express their views. Therefore, the Commission launches a public consultation inviting stakeholders and citizens to voice their opinions on the future EU budget and the policies it should support. The consultations are open for the next 12 weeks and can be accessed via the following links:
- Implementing EU Funds with Member States and Regions
- EU Funding for Competitiveness
- EU Funding for External Action
- EU Funding for Cross-Border Education, Training, and Solidarity, Youth, Media, Culture, and Creative Sectors, Values, and Civil Society
- EU Funding for Civil Protection, Preparedness and Response to Crises
- EU Funding for the Single Market and Cooperation between National Authorities
- Performance of the EU Budget
A citizens panel will gather 150 Europeans to debate and make recommendations for the next EU budget. It will be accompanied by an online platform offering everyone the opportunity to participate in the debate. Additionally, Commissioner Serafin is undertaking a Tour dEurope throughout 2025 to engage in consultations with member state authorities, regional stakeholders, and EU budget beneficiaries.
The Commission welcomes the involvement of all EU institutions and bodies, as well as partners implementing the EU budget, in reflections on the future EU budget.
The Commission will present its formal proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework in July 2025, aiming for a timely agreement before implementation in January 2028.
Background
The EU budget is crucial for delivering on EU priorities. By pooling resources, standing together, and supporting all EU countries and beyond, the EU budget strengthens Europes economy and geopolitical standing.
The EU has an annual budget cycle and a long-term budget, known as the Multiannual Financial Framework. This planning provides predictability of EU expenditure, especially for multiannual projects and policies.
Under Article 312 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Multiannual Financial Framework covers at least five years. Its aim is to ensure orderly development of EU expenditure within its resources. Based on a Commission proposal, the framework is adopted by unanimity by the 27 EU member states in the Council, after obtaining the European Parliaments consent.
The Multiannual Financial Framework sets maximum amounts for Union budget allocations per major policy sectors.
The current framework runs from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2027, with a total expenditure of €1,211 billion. It is accompanied by NextGenerationEU, a temporary recovery instrument of up to €807 billion boosting Europes economy and resilience in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
For More Information
European Citizens Panel on a New European Budget