The EPP-CoR Group welcomes the adoption by the European Parliament of its report on the European Commission proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034, underlining that a strong and ambitious EU budget is essential to deliver Europe’s priorities across villages, cities and regions. 

The Group particularly welcomes the clear message delivered by co-rapporteur Siegfried Mureșan on the need for unity and multilevel governance in addressing today’s challenges: “None of these tasks can be solved by Member States individually alone. They are too big for us alone. We can only solve them together, united.” For the EPP-CoR Group, this reinforces the fundamental role of regions and cities in delivering European policies on the ground. European added value must go hand in hand with respect for subsidiarity and a strong multilevel governance approach.

At the same time, the EPP-CoR Group reiterates its firm opposition to any centralisation of EU budget management. Echoing Mureșan’s call that “we want transparency, we want democratic control,” the EPP-CoR Group stresses its call for legal guarantees that 'regional checks' will ensure local and regional authorities' full involvement in preparing, implementing and evaluating national plans.

The Group also welcomes the European Parliament’s proposal to increase funding by 10% for key programmes, recognising that Europe cannot meet growing expectations with reduced resources. This approach is fully in line with the positions consistently advocated by EPP-CoR members.

The EPP-CoR believes that a reinforced EU budget must safeguard both new and traditional priorities. The EPP-CoR Group supports a balanced approach that ensures robust investment in security, defence and competitiveness, while continuing strong support for agriculture, fisheries and cohesion policy because as outlined by Vice-President Muresan “There cannot be security without food security,”. Continued support for farmers and fishers is essential—not only for ensuring Europe’s food supply, but also for sustaining millions of jobs, rural development and territorial cohesion across the Union. 

The EPP-CoR Group strongly supports the call for:
1.    Predictability and dedicated funding for agriculture and cohesion policy to support all regions; 
2.    Restoring cuts affecting the fisheries sector; 
3.    Targeted support for outermost regions, recognising their strategic importance; 
4.    Increased investment in research, innovation and key infrastructure, including energy and military mobility. 

Investing in competitiveness and innovation is crucial to ensure Europe’s strategic autonomy and avoid future dependencies on external technologies.

Finally, the EPP-CoR Group underlines that a stronger EU budget must be accompanied by fair and sustainable financing solutions that do not come at the expense of beneficiaries or key programmes. This is why it supports the proposal to find new sources of Eu revenue. 

The adoption of this report sends a clear signal: Europe must equip itself with the necessary resources to act decisively, while remaining anchored in its core principles of solidarity, subsidiarity and partnership across all levels of governance.

Background information

During the next CoR plenary session, on 6-7 May CoR members will vote on a range of additional opinions addressing sectoral regulations including:
1.    Future of the Rural Development 2028+, Rapporteur: Radim Sršeň (CZ/EPP)
2.    NRPP Fund Regulation, Co-Rapporteur: Emil Boc (RO/EPP)
3.    European Fund for Regional Development including for Interreg and the Cohesion Fund, Rapporteur: María Guardiola Martín (ES/EPP)
4.    Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034, Rapporteur: Roberto Pella (IT/EPP)
5.    AgoraEU, Rapporteur: Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP)

Other key opinions have already been adopted:
- European Competitiveness Fund, Rapporteur: Pehr Granfalk (SE/EPP)
- Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) post 2027, Rapporteur: Sari Rautio (FI/EPP)

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