Commission completes proposal for the 2028-2034 EU long-term budget

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

Today, the Commission has adopted a second package of seven sectoral proposals completing the framework for the next long-term EU budget for 2028–2034. These legal acts complete the MFF 2028-2034 proposal, and cover the following areas:

•  The Single Market and Customs Programme;

•  The Justice Programme;

•  The Euratom Research and Training Programme;

•  The Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and Decommissioning;

•  The Nuclear decommissioning assistance programme of the Ignalina nuclear power plant in Lithuania (Ignalina programme);

•  The Decision on the Overseas Association, including Greenland;

•  The Pericles V Programme.

The Single Market and Customs Programme will benefit citizens and companies by driving the completion of the EU Single Market, breaking down cross-border and cross-country barriers and fostering cooperation between national administrations. It will ensure stronger consumer protection, drive standardisation measures and reduce administrative burden in the areas of customs, taxation and anti-fraud. The Programme will also cover the development, production and dissemination of official European statistics, which is critical in informing EU policies and is essential for evidence-based decision-making. With €6.2 billion (double the funding compared to the current long-term EU budget), the reinforced Single Market and Customs Programme will combine several previously standalone programmes (Single Market Programme, Customs, Customs Control Equipment Instrument, Fiscalis and the Union Anti-Fraud Programme) into one coherent strategy that should preserve EU economic security.

The Justice Programme, amounting to nearly €800 million, will continue to support judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters, judicial training, and ensuring equal access to justice for all citizens and businesses. It will also support the digitalisation of judicial systems and will further promote the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. European citizens and companies will benefit from a more efficient, inclusive, resilient and digitalised European area of justice, based on the rule of law, mutual recognition and mutual trust.

The Euratom Research and Training Programme will benefit from €6.7 billion for the duration of the programme until 2032. However, the proposed amount for the entire future Multiannual Financial Framework will be €9.8 billion. This will improve and support nuclear safety, security and safeguards, radiation protection, management of radioactive waste, non-power applications of nuclear science, such as in healthcare, and maintain the critical skills the nuclear sector needs to advance. It will contribute to the development of fusion energy into a viable energy source, driving industry development and innovation in the EU. More than half of the budget represents the EU’s contribution to ITER, the most ambitious fusion project in the world. Its aim is to prove the scientific and technical feasibility of fusion as a large-scale and carbon-free source of energy based on the same principle that powers our Sun and other stars.

To keep improving nuclear safety in Europe and third countries, a new Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and Decommissioning, with a budget of close to €1 billion, will merge the existing Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and the Decommissioning Programme. In addition, the Ignalina programme will be continued in the next MFF. It will assist Lithuania in implementing the decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear power plant, thus contributing to nuclear safety, health of workers and the general public, and prevention of environmental degradation.

Support to the thirteen Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), including Greenland, will continue to be covered by a separate and reinforced instrument under the next MFF with an allocation of almost €1 billion. OCTs are of high geopolitical and strategic importance to the EU as they play a vital role as critical outposts of the Union in their geographical areas.

Finally, the Pericles V Programme will be continued to further the fight against euro-counterfeiting. As the single currency of the euro area, the euro is a core European interest. The Pericles V programme will help to prevent and combat counterfeiting and counterfeiting-related fraud, while also adapting to new and evolving threats, thus strengthening the trust of citizens and businesses in the integrity of the euro.

MFF 2028-2034 proposal complete

With these legal acts the Commission completes its proposal for the next long-term EU budget for 2028-2034 amounting to almost €2 trillion in current prices (or 1.26% of the EU’s gross national income on average between 2028 and 2034). 

Key features of the new MFF:

• A budget focused on EU priorities, such as competitiveness, defence and security, decarbonisation, sustainability, and economic, social and territorial cohesion;
• More flexibility across the budget, so Europe has the capacity to act – and react – fast when circumstances change unexpectedly or when new policy priorities need to be addressed;
• Simpler, more streamlined and harmonised EU financial programmes, so that citizens and companies can easily identify and access funding opportunities;
• A budget tailored to local needs, with National and Regional Partnership Plans for investments and reforms, for targeted impact where it matters most and ensuring faster and more flexible support for more economic, social and territorial cohesion across our Union;
• A powerful competitiveness boost, for Europe to secure supply chains, scale-up innovation and lead the global race for clean and smart technology; 
• A balanced package of new own resources that ensures adequate revenues for our priorities while minimising pressure on national public finances.

Next steps

The future long-term EU budget will be discussed by Member States in the Council, acting by unanimity, with the consent of the European Parliament for the MFF. The rules for the own resources system are laid down periodically in a Council Decision adopted unanimously and approved by every Member State in accordance with their national procedures. Sectoral proposals are subject to ordinary legislative procedure or specific adoption procedures, depending on the legal base.