Social Platform has published the document “A post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework for Social Europe”, which examines the upcoming Financial Framework (MFF) of the EU.
In this new document, Social Platform proposes that the EU budget should not only focus on economic competitiveness but also on social well-being and cohesion. It argues that a strong social Europe is essential for long-term competitiveness, and that social investments should not be viewed as expenses, but as key elements of resilience, cohesion and prosperity. The Platform defends that the next MFF must reflect this vision by prioritising the social over the military or exclusively economic.
As stated on its website, where the report is published, European political priorities have changed significantly due to global developments such as the digital transition, changes in political leadership, and the state of global security.
However, according to Social Platform, the challenges the continent faces, including increasing poverty, inequality and discrimination, climate change, labour market shifts and regional conflicts near the borders of the European Union, require greater public investment rather than cuts to adequately respond to these needs.
A social plan to strengthen Europe
The report advocates for social investment as a competitive advantage, stating that the EU needs an additional annual investment of between €750 and €800 billion to meet its competitiveness goals, according to the Draghi Report.
It is also estimated that €192 billion per year are needed for social infrastructure, while only three countries – Denmark, Sweden and Ireland – are currently able to comply with the new fiscal rules and thus invest adequately in the social sphere.
The report warns that the 2021–2027 MFF has led to cuts in health, research and cohesion, while the new focus on defence and competitiveness is shifting social priorities. The Von der Leyen Commission itself has promised a stronger social agenda, which must be reflected in the next MFF.
Key Recommendations from Social Platform
To address these obstacles, Social Platform recommends increasing the MFF beyond the €2 trillion of the current Next Generation EU framework, as well as committing to maintaining and strengthening the Cohesion Policy and its partnership principle with civil society.
The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) should also be preserved as an independent fund focused on social inclusion, the mandatory minimum of 25% of the ESF+ dedicated to social inclusion should be raised in all Member States, and research should be supported beyond industrial competitiveness, with a focus on rights and social well-being.
Among its main recommendations are the reformulation of the Just Transition Fund (JTF) to include broader social needs; expanding the Social Climate Fund (SCF); strengthening the CERV programme to protect democracy and human rights; and supporting civil society.
Finally, it calls for strengthening the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) in its component on integration and social inclusion of third-country nationals; conditioning pre-accession assistance funding on respect for fundamental rights; ensuring strong and sustained investment in health, with a well-funded successor to EU4Health; and multiplying the Erasmus+ programme budget by five to make it more inclusive and accessible.
