Unveiled Post-2028 EU Budget Leaves Questions about Social Funding Unsolved

Unveiled Post-2028 EU Budget Leaves Questions about Social Funding Unsolved

On 16 July 2025, the European Commission presented the first part of its proposal for a 2028-2034 EU Budget, also known as the Multiannual Financial Framework, amounting to almost EUR 2 trillion.  With its proposal, the European Commission aims to ensure more flexibility across the budget, streamlining EU financial programmes to make it easier for citizens and companies to access funding opportunities, boost competitiveness and ensure local needs are met.

The European Commission proposes a new system for EU Member States and Regions to manage EU funds: the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs), which account for nearly EUR 865 billion of the budget. Such Plans merge funds that were previously stand-alone, such as Cohesion and Agricultural funds. According to the European Commission, at least 14% of the NRPPs will have to finance reforms and investments that enhance skills, fight poverty, promote social inclusion and foster rural areas.

The European Social Fund Plus (ESF +)* remains in the Commission’s post-2028 budget proposal. It will be allocated via the new NRPPs which will feature measures supporting education, employment and social objectives such as reforms and investments to reskill and upskill people, improve the quality of education and training systems, and fight poverty and homelessness. Although the European Commission’s proposal has already unveiled that, within the NRPPs, around EUR 450 billion will be available for economic, social and territorial cohesion between 2028 and 2034, which would include the European Social Fund, no concrete figures on the amounts allocated to the ESF+ have been published. This is concerning as the current budget, as it is, does not provide binding quantities of how much Member States should be allocating to social spending.

Erasmus+**, one of the flagship programmes in the EU budget, will be reinforced to EUR 40.8 billion. This implies an increase of 1.5 points from the 2021-2027 EU Budget.

On 3 September, the European Commission adopted a second package of seven sector-specific proposals completing the proposed framework for the next long-term EU budget for 2028–2034.

Next Steps: The decision on the future long-term EU budget and revenue system will be discussed by Member States in the Council. Adoption of the MFF Regulation requires unanimity (i.e. for all EU countries to agree), following the consent of the European Parliament. 

*The ESF+ is one of the EU’s main tools to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights, promoting jobs and social inclusion, fighting poverty and promoting education, training, and the acquisition of lifelong skills.

** Erasmus+ is the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. In particular, it offers mobility and cooperation opportunities in the form of projects in higher education, vocational education and training, adult and school education (including

early childhood education and care), youth and sport staff.

Commission Communication about the 2028-2034 MFF available here.

Press releases about the 2028-2034 MFF available here, and here.

Questions and Answers about the 2028-2034 MFF available here.
More information on the 2024-2028 EU Budget is available on the dedicated website here.