The European Commission has launched a public consultations to gather input from relevant stakeholders on the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the long-term EU budget. This is an opportunity to advocate that the next MFF gives continuation to the key role played by the European Cohesion Policy Funds, in particular ESF+, in complementarity with the ERDF, as regards vulnerable groups, such as Roma.
In February 2025, the European Commission published framework document to guide the reflections on the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) – the EU’s long-term budget: the Communication “The Road to the next Multiannual Financial Framework”. The document lays the groundwork for reflections on how to adapt the EU’s long-term budget to evolving needs and priorities, ahead of the formal proposals for the post-2027 MFF and for the next generation of financial programmes that the European Commission will put forward in July 2025. Following the consultations, the Commission will present its formal proposal for the next MFF in July 2025 (the goal is to secure an agreement on the framework by the end of 2027, to ensure its implementation starting in January 2028).
Together with the Communication, the Commisison also launched an overall public consultation inviting stakeholders and citizens to have their say on the future EU budget and the policies it should support. The consultation is organised around seven thematic public consultations covering various policy areas as follows:
- EU funding for cross-border education, training and solidarity, youth, media, culture, and creative sectors, values, and civil society
- Implementing EU Funds with Member States and regions
- EU funding for competitiveness
- EU funding for the single market, and cooperation between national authorities
- Performance of the EU budget
- EU funding for civil protection, preparedness and response to crises
- EU funding for external action
Deadline
The consultations will remain open for responses until 12 May 2025
Target group
- EU institutions, national authorities and institutions, regional and local authorities
- Recipients of EU funding
- Citizens as a whole
- Businesses, SMEs and business associations,
- Other stakeholders (non-exhaustive list): relevant civil society organisations, research/scientific community, academia, think tank, media, etc,
- International stakeholders.
How to participate?
- You can contribute to this consultation by filling in the online questionnaire.
- Questionnaires are available in some or all official EU languages. You can submit your responses in any official EU language.
- For reasons of transparency, organisations and businesses taking part in public consultations are asked to register in the EU’s Transparency Register.
Other initiatives
With this Communication, the Commission also launches in parallel a Europe-wide campaign with a range of stakeholders, including Member States governments, regional entities, and citizens.
A citizens’ panel will gather 150 Europeans to debate and make concrete recommendations for the next EU budget. It will be accompanied by an online platform offering everyone the opportunity to participate in the debate.
In addition, Commissioner Serafin is undertaking a Tour d’Europe throughout 2025 to engage in one-to-one consultations with Member State authorities, regional stakeholders and beneficiaries of the EU budget.
For more information
- European Commission’s news item
- Communication on the road to the next multiannual financial framework
- European Citizens’ Panel on a new European Budget
- Tour d’Europe of Commissioner Serafin
- The long-term EU budget
