Expert panel “New Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034: What to expect?” was held

The expert panel organised by the Croatian Delegation European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) was held on 13 May 2026 in the Croatian Chamber of Crafts in Zagreb (Ilica 49).

European Commission has proposed a new Multiannual Financial Framework the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), presented in July 2025, worth almost 2 trillion euros. It includes great changes regarding structure of the fund, investment priorities and managing the EU budget. Significant impacts on Croatia are expected - from cohesion policy and agriculture to innovation, defence and global challenges.
 
The new budget models are based on the three main pillars:

1. National and Regional Partnership Plans (Cohesion Policy, Agriculture and Social Goals with the focus on less developed regions - in total 865 billion euros
2. “Competitiveness, prosperity and security” (green and digital transition, innovation and strengthening of European security and defence) - 590 billion euros
3. “Global Europe” (funding of EU external actions, humanitarian aid and enlargement policy, including a special fund for the recovery of Ukraine - 200 billion euros

 
The proposed MMF envisages a reorganisation of the current financial instruments through establishing of the new funds which consolidate more present programmes. Therefore, the Fond for Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion, Agriculture, Rural Development, Fishing and Shipping, Prosperity and Security will fund unique national and regional partnership plans and Interreg Programmes. In addition, the Fund for Competitiveness is being established which will consolidate former centralised EU programmes.
 
The EESC attitudes on the new MFF have been expressed through several official opinions especially emphasizing the importance of inclusion of all relevant stakeholders in the process of shaping the European and Financial priorities. Also, EESC welcomes the intention to simplify the administrative procedures and greater flexibility, asking for clear guarantees, so as the mission of the key EU policies nor the position of the regions and vulnerable groups would not be compromised.
Furthermore, EESC supports the establishment of the European Fund for Competitiveness, strengthening the Horizon Europe programme and increasing the budget for Global Europe as an important instrument of the EU’s external action. Considers that the ESF+ and the Just Transition Fund should remain separate instruments with an increased budget. However, they notify that merging of greater number of funds into unique instrument can lead to internal concurrence among priorities and weaken long-term development goals, whereby les developed areas could be left without the necessary investments.
 

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