On 22 April, the EUFunds4Social Coalition organised the event What is the future of social funding under the next MFF? at the European Parliament in Brussels, marking the official launch of the Coalition.

The event was co-hosted by two Members of the European Parliament: Estelle Ceulemans (S&D) and Maravillas Abadía Jover (EPP), reflecting broad political interest in the future of EU social investment.

About the EUFunds4Social Coalition

The EUFunds4Social Coalition, coordinated by EASPD, brings together European social services, NGOs, public authorities, public health actors, lifelong learning and training providers, social economy organisations, workers and social partners.

Together, we represent millions of organisations, enterprises and people across Europe, including those most excluded in society. Every day, our members work on the ground to provide essential social support, innovation and inclusion.

As negotiations advance on the EU’s 2028-2034 budget, officially known as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034, crucial political decisions will determine whether the EU budget continues to deliver strong, visible and accountable support for social inclusion and territorial cohesion.

The Commission proposal published last summer introduces National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs), merging the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and other shared management funds into broader national envelopes with a proposed 14% social spending target. This new architecture raises serious political and technical concerns.

For these reasons, the Coalition is calling for a stand-alone ESF and ERDF, each with its own regulation, budget and mission. This is essential to ensure impact, transparency and delivery on the EU’s social commitments, particularly on quality jobs, education and training, and the fight against poverty and social exclusion, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights.

What happened yesterday?

Opening the event, MEP Estelle Ceulemans warned that this would be “the first time since the Treaty of Rome that we would not have a specific budget line for social funds”. MEP Maravillas Abadía Jover stressed that the success of the next EU budget should not be measured by spending alone, but by how effectively resources translate into real impact for people.

Thomas Bignal, speaking as President of Social Services Europe, highlighted how striking it is that concerns around the Commission proposal are shared across very different actors and viewpoints.

In the first panel, Irene Bertana, our interim Head of Policy at EASPD, made clear that the Coalition’s demands are far from niche. More than 350 organisations across Europe support them. Together, these actors are those delivering social support and innovation across Europe every day.

This position was reinforced by three ESF+ beneficiaries from Spain, Germany and Belgium, who described how EU social funding enables crucial initiatives for people who would otherwise have no access to services. All three pointed to major gaps in the Commission proposal, including:

• A clear reduction in social funding that would intensify competition between organisations, including those supporting the most vulnerable,
• The dilution of the thematic approach and the absence of earmarking for the most vulnerable groups,
• The lack of clarity when defining social objectives,
• The risk of penalising long‑term social investment and innovation within the proposed performance framework,
• The unclear role of managing authorities in the new NRPPs structure,
• A growing disconnection from realities on the ground.

In the second panel, Ruth Paserman, Director at DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, explained the Commission’s rationale, highlighting the need for more flexibility in light of recent crises since COVID‑19.

If flexibility and simplification are legitimate objectives, they shouldn’t come at all cost. This was echoed by Benedict Wouters, who has a long experience working within the Flemish managing authority. He explained that the current 25% earmarking for social inclusion in the 2021-2027 period had a concrete impact on how funding was spent in Flanders, actively pushing authorities to reach the most excluded people.  

Pilar Sáenz de Ormijana, the Spanish Permanent Representation to the EU, also raised concerns about the highly centralised nature of the proposal, particularly for federal or decentralised Member States such as Spain, Germany and Belgium. A critical view was added by Andor Urmos, from Bridge EU, on how EU funds have financed projects that violate fundamental rights (such as institutions for persons with disabilities, segregating schools, or migrant reception centres). This can be addressed with clearer guidance and monitoring for Member States.

Closing the discussion, MEP Marit Maij reminded participants that the European Parliament is a co‑legislator alongside the Council. She strongly called to engage with national governments, share concrete examples from the ground and ensure real needs are understood.

In short

The discussions confirmed a strong shared understanding of the need to reach out to local realities and needs and, to meaningfully include small civil society organisations and social enterprises, and to avoid the risk of “social washing”.

Social spending is not a cost. It is an investment, especially in times of crisis.

The EUFunds4Social Coalition will continue to advocate for an EU budget that truly delivers for people. We call on policymakers, civil society and partners across Europe to join us in defending strong, visible and effective social investment in the next MFF.