| Heinrich Böll Stiftung

Green Priorities for a Better EU Budget

Policy Paper

The European Commission’s proposal for the 2028–2034 MFF opens a chance to raise ambition on climate, social, economic and security goals. This framing paper outlines key budget needs, priority areas and governance reforms.

Georg McCutcheon, Anton Möller, Taube Van Melkebeke

The Missing Middle

Policy Paper

The next MFF proposes centralised National and Regional Partnership Plans, shifting power to national governments and the European Commission. While promising coherence, this risks weaker regional involvement and oversight.

Tsvetelina Kuzmanova

Advancing Social Policy in the 2028–2034 EU Multiannual Financial Framework

Policy Paper

The 2028–2034 MFF proposal acknowledges social pressures but risks diluting the EU’s social dimension. Social spending is consolidated without a dedicated European Social Fund line, while guarantees are weakened.

Réka Tunyogi

New EU Own Resources to Strengthen Europe’s Long-Term Budget

Policy Paper

The European Commission’s new MFF proposal introduces five new own resources to fund Next Generation EU debt and modernise EU revenues. This paper assesses the package and argues for a balanced basket of genuine new resources to support EU goals.

Dr. Margit Schratzenstaller

The 2028–2034 EU Long-Term Budget: What’s in It for Climate?

Policy Paper

The MFF proposal sidelines climate and the environment. This paper assesses the spending target, the Do No Significant Harm principle, and climate and environmental provisions in the proposal’s two largest programmes.

Till Eichler