EP demands a 10% budget increase for the next MFF

On 15 April 2026, the Budgets Committee of the European Parliament endorsed the EP's negotiating position for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, including a breakdown of the amounts the EP wants to see allocated to each funding programme. The interim report was adopted by the Budgets Committee with 26 votes, 9 against and 5 abstentions.

According to this position, the 2028-2034 EU budget should be set at 1.27% of EU GNI, with debt servicing for the NextGenerationEU recovery fund (0.11% of GNI) outside the budget ceilings. This represents a 10% increase compared to the Commission’s July 2025 proposal, and MEPs propose to allocate this increased funding evenly across the three headings of the budget which finance EU priorities, and to ensure that the budget is protected from inflationary shocks.

While the report does not alter the MFF structure proposed by the Commission, MEPs strongly oppose the re-nationalisation of the EU budget, rejecting an “à la carte” EU and warning the Commission’s “one plan per member state” approach could undermine EU policies, reduce transparency, and create competition between beneficiaries. MEPs want strong and adequately funded policies, with distinct allocations for policies under the National and Regional Partnership Plans and also stress that regional and local authorities should be fully involved in planning and implementing the programmes.

With regard to the European Competitiveness Fund, MEPs welcome the Commission’s proposal to double funding to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, defence capacity, innovation, the digital and green transitions, infrastructure, health, education and culture. They call for greater support for key programmes such as the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), Horizon Europe, the Connecting Europe Facility, Erasmus+, AgoraEU and the civil protection mechanism, along with dedicated funding for EU4Health actions as well as LIFE-related actions under the ECF.

Amongst several further issues, MEPs warn against moving key policy choices to Commission work programmes without Parliament’s involvement, stressing that simplification must not undermine transparency, accountability or democratic oversight. While recognising the need for flexibility, they caution that flexibility without transparency could undermine public trust in the EU.

The proposed top-ups (in current prices, list not exhaustive) for the individual funding programmes are as follows:

• Overall MFF size: +197.30bn
• Common Agriculture Policy (CAP): +139.31bn
• Structural and cohesion funds: +78.87bn
• European Social Fund (ESF): +124.19bn
• Asylum and migration policies, border management and security: +3.82bn
• European Competitiveness Fund (ECF): +30.05bn
• Horizon Europe: +25bn
• Connecting Europe Facility (CEF): +9.86bn
• EU Civil Protection Mechanism and health preparedness (UCPM+): +1.74bn
• Erasmus+: +6.56bn
• AgoraEU: +2.14bn
• Global Europe programme: +24.06bn

Once confirmed by the EP plenary (vote planned for 29 April), Parliament will be ready to start negotiations with the Council on the regulation setting the structure and main figures of the 2028-2034 budget. Talks can begin once the Council agrees on a common position (envisaged for end of May).

For more information:

EP - press release

For detailed figures, check the Annex of the interim report.