Autism-Europe and 51 prominent European networks have co-signed the Joint Statement “100 billion Euros for social spending? The devil’s in the details”. The statement comes amid ongoing negotiations on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034.
In July 2025, the European Commission published its proposal for the future MFF. The proposal introduces technical improvements, such as harmonised regulations, simplified monitoring, and increased flexibility. These specific provisions have the potential to increase the effectiveness of the next EU Budget, but also entail some risks.
A significant development is the proposal to create National and Regional Partnership (NRP) Plans, which will merge different funding, including the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), migration, integration and border management, and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), under single national frameworks. The Plans are established under the NRPP Regulation, which also includes EU Facility and Interreg funds for crisis response and transnational cooperation.
EASPD, together with European partners, has assessed the European Commission’s proposal based on the previously highlighted eight key success factors for a future ESF+. Partners in the coalition represent social services, civil society organisations, trade unions, education and lifelong learning providers, and the social economy.
The assessment highlights serious concerns about the ability of the current EU Budget proposal to deliver on its social ambitions and the achievement of the European Pillar of Social Rights, outlining key shortcomings such as:
- The loss of a dedicated ESF+ budget line, replaced by a 14% “social spending” target spread across multiple funds, which would mean less guaranteed funding spread across more investment areas;
- A shift toward centralised national planning, weakening regional participation and civil society involvement;
- The elimination of minimum earmarks for social inclusion, child poverty, and material deprivation, which means no more guarantees for investment into initiatives for excluded or disadvantaged groups;
- The removal of enabling conditions, which previously ensured that Member States had effective strategies and safeguards in place before EU money was spent, now leaving investments less accountable and potentially less effective.
The coalition calls for stronger safeguards, dedicated social funding, and empowered local actors to ensure the EU’s social ambitions translate into real impact on the ground.
Read the full statement and the Coalition’s assessment here.
Signatories
European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD)
European Network of Work Integration Social Enterprises (ENSIE)
Social Services Europe (SSE)
Social Economy Europe (SEE)
Social Platform
Lifelong Learning Platform
European Public Services Union (EPSU)
Association de Recherche et de Formation sur l’Insertion en Europe (ARFIE)
Autism-Europe (AE)
Caritas Europa
CEC- Acting for Social Inclusion
CEDAG – European council of associations of general interest
COFACE Families Europe
ENVITER
Eurocarers
Eurochild
Eurodiaconia
Eurohealthnet
European Ageing Network
European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN)
European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB)
European Blind Union (EBU)
European Confederation of Industrial and Service Cooperatives (CECOP)
European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
European Disability Forum (EDF)
European Federation for Family Employment and Home Care
European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers (FEBEA)
European Federation of Hard of Hearing People (EFHOH)
European Federation of National Organisation working with the Homeless – FEANTSA
European Food Banks Federation (FEBA)
European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy (REVES aisbl)
European Network on Independent Living (ENIL)
European Platform for Rehabilitation (EPR)
European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network
Fédération Européenne des Retraités et des Personnes Âgées (FERPA)
HIPEN
Hope and Homes for Children
Housing Europe
Impact Europe – The Investing for Impact Network
Inclusion Europe
International Step by Step Association
Lumos
Make Mothers Matter (MMM)
Mental Health Europe (MHE)
Organising Bureau of European Student School Unions (OBESSU)
Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)
Philea (Philanthropy Europe Association)
Reuse and Recycling European Union Social Enterprises (RREUSE)
Samaritan International (SAM.I.)
Save the Children
SOLIDAR
Union of European Federalists (UEF)