Ahead of the European Council meeting of 18–19 June 2026, the EUFunds4Social Coalition issued an open letter urging EU leaders to safeguard the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the next EU budget. The CEC, together with 252 European and national organisations, argues that these funds remain the most effective instruments for directing EU investment to people and regions facing the greatest challenges.
The appeal comes at a crucial moment in the negotiations. The Council’s current position broadly supports the European Commission’s proposal, while calling for a modest reduction in the overall Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) budget. It also backs the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP) structure, maintaining the existing funding allocation and share of social spending without a dedicated ESF+ envelope. At the same time, it advocates greater flexibility and increased national discretion in implementation.
In this context, the signatories urge EU leaders to ensure that the next MFF delivers a stronger social dimension by incorporating the following key elements:
- Increase in the share of social spending in National and Regional Partnership Plans from 14% to 25%, linked to the European Pillar of Social Rights;
- Preservation of the ESF+ and ERDF as stand-alone funds, with dedicated budgets and separate rules, ensuring stable long-term investment, and clear roles for each fund;
- Safeguarding of key ESF+ allocations to social inclusion, child poverty, homelessness and youth employment, as well as support for social partners and civil society;
- Securing dedicated funding for social innovation and civil society cooperation, including continuity of the current EaSI strand within a ring-fenced EU facility;
- Strengthening rights-based implementation in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, backed by robust monitoring;
- Reinforcing partnership-based governance, with a stronger role for local and regional authorities and full application of the partnership principle;
- Improving access for smaller organisations through simpler procedures, capacity building, and sustainable co-financing requirements.
The CEC is part of the EUFunds4Social Coalition thatbrings together European social services, NGOs, public health and service providers, lifelong learning and social economy actors, workers, and social partners. Since March 2025, its actions aim to ensure social investment is strengthened, not weakened, in the next EU budget. The priority is ensuring that higher social spending is secured, and resources earmarked in particular for supporting the inclusion of disadvantaged people through the next EU budget.
