Next EU budget must be a political commitment to deliver real, progressive solutions for Europeans

Carla Tavares, Member of the European Parliament, Fernando Sampedro Marcos, Secretary of State of the European Union, Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Chair of the PES MFF Working Group, Yonnec Polet, PES Deputy Secretary General.

As negotiations on the European Union's next long-term budget for 2028-2034 enter a crucial phase, the sixth meeting of the PES Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) Working Group underlined the need for an ambitious budget that matches Europe's growing social, economic, environmental and geopolitical challenges.

With an agreement targeted by the end of this year, participants exchanged views on the latest developments in the negotiations, including the first Negotiating Box presented by the Cypriot Presidency and the partial mandates reached on sectoral files by the Council. The Working Group also praised the work of European Council President António Costa in engaging with EU leaders to build consensus and help steer the negotiations towards an agreement.

Pascal Smet, Member of the Committee of the Regions, Jan de Preter, Diplomatic advisor to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health of Belgium

Participants warned that cuts to Treaty-based policies and the weakening of investment in crucial areas-including clean industry and energy, strategic autonomy, innovation, support for Ukraine and the enlargement process-are a cause for concern. At a time when Europeans are facing growing social and economic pressures, the next EU budget must deliver tangible improvements in people's lives. This means investing in quality jobs and skills, affordable and sustainable housing, public health and education, decarbonisation, while strengthening Europe's sustainable competitiveness and social cohesion.

The Working Group also stressed the importance of a balanced and effective approach to simplification. Simplification should respect the principle of subsidiarity, avoid unnecessary overlaps and provide the flexibility needed to respond effectively to emerging challenges. At the same time, simplification must not lead to centralisation, weaken democratic accountability or sideline local authorities.

To reach an agreement on a credible EU budget, the Working Group stressed that an ambitious and sustainable framework must be underpinned by adequate financing and meaningful progress on new and genuine own resources.

Fernando Sampedro Marcos, Secretary of State of the European Union, Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Chair of the PES MFF Working Group

Victor Negrescu, Chair of the PES MFF Working Group, PES Vice-President, and Vice-President of the European Parliament, said:

"At a time of growing social, economic and geopolitical pressures, the future EU budget must match our ambitions. We need to protect standalone funding for our key European policies, including Cohesion Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and the European Social Fund, with distinct financial envelopes and clear political visibility, ensuring that their specific objectives and long-term investments are properly protected. This requires resisting further cuts, ensuring that simplification does not dilute our Treaty-based policies, and making real progress on new and genuine own resources to provide the EU with sustainable financing for the future."

The PES will continue working for a future EU budget that gives Europe the means to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, delivers concrete improvements for Europeans and strengthens a fairer, more sustainable and more competitive European Union.