Ahead of EU’s Post-2027 Budget Proposal, EPR and Civil Society Warn of Threat to Social Investment Cuts

Ahead of EU’s Post-2027 Budget Proposal, EPR and Civil Society Warn of Threat to Social Investment Cuts

As the European Commission prepares to unveil its proposal for the post-2027 long-term EU budget – or Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) -, civil society organisations are raising concern over potential cuts to vital social programmes.

In light of emerged information, EPR joins the Social Platform network in urging EU leaders to protect key funding streams like the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), warning that efforts to prioritise economic competitiveness must not come at the expense of inclusive, rights-based policies.

Programmes supporting disability inclusion, healthcare, education, anti-poverty efforts, and equal opportunities are at risk of being cut, merged, or diluted. This has prompted civil society organisations throughout Europe to call for, amongst other concerns, for the ESF+ to remain a standalone instrument that supports access to employment, skills, and services—particularly for marginalised groups such as people with disabilities.

EPR echoes the 13 concrete recommendations put forward by the Social Platform, including calls for:

• Accountability and delivery on investments linked to the European Pillar of Social Rights;
• Sustained investment in healthcare, research, civil society, and education;
• Protection of programmes like CERV and ERASMUS+

We believe that, in the current global context, joining forces is more important than ever.

Read the full statement here.

The EU decides on its long-term budget framework, called the multiannual financial framework (MFF), every seven years. The MFF sets the maximum annual amounts for EU spending as a whole and for the main spending areas. The current MFF runs from 2021 to 2027, with the European Commission expected to present their proposal for the next timeframe – 2027 – 2034 – on 16 July 2025.