“Managing from a central capital what happens in a neigbourhood in a city is not simplification; it’s a disconnection from the reality. We reject this centralisation”. This is what Iván Larraza, Deputy Minister of Welfare, Regional Government of the Basque Country, Spain, stressed during last week’s ESN European Policy Roundtable on the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
On the 11 June 2026, regional ministers, city councillors, and directors of social services from across Europe gathered together at the European Parliament in Brussels to meet with EU decision makers from the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the Council of the EU to express their concerns around the Commission’s proposal for the next MFF (2028-2034).
The proposal made by the Commission in July 2025 aims to radically change how EU funds will be managed in the next EU Budget, merging the European Social Fund (ESF+) together with agricultural and regional development funds under nationally managed National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPS). Although the proposal foresees 14% earmarked for social inclusion, the merging of these funds, and the removal of clear structures and safeguards, threatens the efficiency of the funds. Without these safeguards, the risk is money is diverted to infrastructure development rather than social programmes required to achieve Europe’s social objectives of reducing poverty and improving social inclusion.
Ruth Paserman, Director for Funds, Programming and Implementation at DG EMPL, European Commission argued during ESN’s Roundtable that the goal with this new structure is to improve flexibility and foster simplification. She also highlighted the Commission is advancing social objectives with the first-ever EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, the Council Recommendation on Housing and Exclusion, and the Communication on Strengthening the Child Guarantee. Nevertheless, Director Paserman recognised the new proposal indeed implies that there will be, “in real terms, less money than there is now”.
Securing a place for social services in the next EU Budget (MFF)
In this context, ESN recently published an official statement stating its key requests for the next MFF. The statement, which was presented during the Roundtable to EU decison makers, underscores the importance of having a well-funded standalone ESF+ with a minimum of 25% earmarking for social inclusion, asks to reinstate thematic enabling conditions and guarantee meaningful involvement of regional and local authorities in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of EU-funded programmes.
All 15 regional and local authorities present at the event supported the statement, and shared why their involvement, and having a strong ESF+, is key to delivering accurate support to the most vulnerable. As Andreia-Ligia Moraru, Director of Social Services of Târgu Mureș, Romania, stated: “without the European Social Fund, our integration model would not exist; ESF+ gives form to our social infrastructure; European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) might build infrastructure, but ESF+ helps social workers, psychologists and many more”.
A European Parliament supportive of social services needs
The European Parliament, which released its MFF interim report last month, a report that is aligned with ESN’s position, welcomed very positively ESN Members’ demands and encouraged ESN and its members to continue advocating for social services funding in the upcoming negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council.
In the words of MEP Marit Maij, Rapporteur of the ESF+ and member of the Socialist & Democrats (S&D) group: "without safeguards, Member States will spend [funds] differently which can in turn can result in a less cohesioned and inclusive Europe."
Next steps for Member States
The Roundtable also hosted Council Representatives, namely ECOFIN Committee Member and Financial Advisor at the Spanish Permanent Representation to the EU, Pilar Sáenz de Ormijana. Ms. Sáenz de Ormijana highlighted as well that “regions are not at the centre of the next budget, national governments are, and in some countries like Spain, which is a very decentralised country, regions play a very important role”. As a result, the Spanish Financial Advisor shared that Spain will be proposing in the negotiations within the Council that regions have a strong role, with the possibility of having formal regional managing authorities. She also pointed out, however, the lack of support from Member States to have a separate standalone ESF+.
In this context, and with the negotiations between the two EU Co-Legistators to start in Autumn 2026, ESN encourages its members to share their concerns with their own national governments and fight for an upcoming EU Budget that delivers and leaves no one behind. At ESN we will continue our advocacy efforts towards a more social MFF, and we encourage any member to contact us for any support needed to address this issue at the national level.
