This year is crucial for social services' future access to EU funding, as Member States and the European Parliament negotiate the EU’s next 7-year budget, with social services funding under fire.
The European Commission wishes to radically change how EU funds will be managed after 2027, merging the European Social Fund (ESF+) with agricultural and regional funds to create a financial instrument that will finance national and regional reform plans rather than current ESF+ programmes. While 14 % of the plans shall be dedicated to social objectives, there are no clear safeguards about the allocation, and even less clarity on the involvement of social services in the drafting and implementation of those plans.
Heavily concerned with these changes, ESN strongly insists that ESF+ is kept as a separate fund with its own programming and budget to ensure that EU funds continue to support investment in social services, with earmarked budgets for social inclusion.
While the European Parliament has joined ESN’s position in its recent opinion report on the next EU budget, and some national parliaments have expressed their concerns on the Commission’s proposal (DE, CZ), EU Member States’ national governments have been less clear about their position.
It is now crucial that the European Parliament maintains its position during negotiations on the future EU budget, and EU Member States should join the European Parliament’s position. Together, they can ensure that social services remain in the focus of the future EU budget.
To that end, we met at the European Parliament on 11 June 2026 to raise the voice for social services and continue to push for well-funded, secure social services both now and in the future.
If you are interested in discussing ESN's position on ESF+, please contact Inés Suner Soler, Junior Policy Officer, at ines.suner@esn-eu.org.
PROGRAMME
15:00-15:10 - Welcome and Introduction
- Alfonso Lara Montero, Chief Executive Officer, European Social Network
- MEP Estelle Ceulemans, Socialist & Democrats Group, Belgium, EMPL Committee
15:10 – 15:40 - Session 1 - The role of ESF+ for social inclusion
Moderator: Alfonso Lara Montero, Chief Executive Officer, European Social Network
- Arnaud López, Deputy to the General Director, National Association of Directors of Social Care and Health in County Councils (ANDASS), France
- Giorgos Antonopoulos, Deputy Mayor for Social Services, Municipality of Fyli, Greece
- Andreia-Ligia Moraru, Director of Social Services, Târgu Mureș, Romania
- Sonia Fuertes, Commissioner of Social Action, Barcelona City Council, Spain
15:40 – 16:50 - Session 2 - A strong ESF+ the next EU budget
Moderator: Alfonso Lara Montero, Chief Executive Officer, European Social Network
- Ruth Paserman, Director for Funds, Programming and Implementation, DG EMPL, European Commission
- MEP Estelle Ceulemans, Socialist & Democrats Group, Belgium, EMPL Committee
- Pilar Saénz de Ormijana, Financial Advisor, Spanish Permanent Representation to the EU, Spain - Council of the EU (ECOFIN Committee)
- Iván Larraza, Deputy Minister of Welfare, Regional Government of the Basque Country, Spain
- Linda Ozola, Member of the Riga City Council, Latvia
- Lora Vidović, City Minister, City of Zagreb, Croatia
Reactions from EU decision makers
- MEP Hristo Petrov, Renew Europe, Bulgaria, EMPL Committee
- MEP Gordan Bosanac, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Croatia, REGI Committee
- MEP Estelle Ceulemans, Socialist & Democrats Group, Belgium, EMPL Committee
- Ruth Paserman, Director for Funds, Programming and Implementation, DG EMPL, European Commission
- Pilar Saénz de Ormijana, Financial Advisor, Spanish Permanent Representation to the EU, Spain - Council of the EU (ECOFIN Committee)
16:50-17:00 - Conclusion and closing remarks
- Alfonso Lara Montero, Chief Executive Officer, European Social Network
- Christian Fillet, Chair, European Social Network