The MFF & You: what the Parliament wants from the new EU budget

In July 2025, the European Commission unveiled its proposal for the next long-term EU budget (2028–2034): a €2 trillion Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

The MFF stirs the direction of EU action for the next 7 years, and amongst its multiple objectives it sets the rules for the EU programmes local and regional governments rely on every day: Cohesion Policy (ERDF), the Just Transition Fund, ESF+, Erasmus+, LIFE, Horizon Europe, INTERREG and more.

As the Commission’s proposal has now been out for a while, the traditional negotiations are underway, and the Council and the Parliament have been preparing their positions. The outcome of these negotiations will ultimately determine which programmes, funds, and financing tools remain available, crucially shaping how local authorities can implement their climate and energy transformation plans.

However, the €2 trillion proposal has altered the usual institutional equilibrium, as the profound revision of long-standing EU policies- namely CAP and cohesion – has shuffled the cards, offering new political divides between and within the Parliament and the Council, while the traditional fault lines have resurfaced as well.

In this MFF & You webinar, we will focus on what is the current state of the negotiations, the Parliament’s position in the negotiations, and the political cleavages between and with Council and Parliament.

Join us to hear testimonials from six cities networks across Europe on the current negotiations at EU level, share your ideas and gain inspiration to define your demands in your country for European funds to be channelled as effectively as possible to the local level.

The webinar will be in English, and French interpretation will be available.

Register here.