Help shape the next EU long-term budget – have your say by 6 May

A new European Commission Communication sets out the key policy and budgetary challenges that will shape the next EU long-term budget, post 2027. In parallel, the Commission is inviting all Europeans to have their say on the next budget and the policies it should support through a series of public consultations open until 6 May 2025.

The road to the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)

The Communication lays the groundwork for reflections on how to adapt the EU’s long-term budget to evolving needs and priorities. It outlines the key policy and budgetary challenges that will shape the design of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). These include growing geopolitical tensions, irregular migration, food security and nature protection, climate change, and remaining barriers within the single market.

The document sets out a new approach towards making the EU budget simpler, more impactful, and more focused. It calls for a true policy-based budget ensuring synergies between policies; greater simplification, coherence, and focus on performance; maximising public investment and leveraging private capital; a balance between predictability for long-term investments and flexibility to respond to crises.

The new approach to the EU budget also includes a plan for each country with key reforms and investments, designed and implemented in partnership with national, regional, and local authorities, a new Competitiveness Fund, and modernised revenues.

Public consultations

All Europeans are invited to have their sayon the next budget, ahead of the Commission’s formal proposal in July 2025. Once agreed, later in 2025, the next long-term budget will take effect in January 2028.

For more information, visit website: https://ruralpact.rural-vision.europa.eu/news/help-shape-next-eu-long-term-budget-have-your-say-6-may_en

European Commission launches new Vision for Agriculture and Food

The new roadmap on the future of farming and food in the European Union outlines a vision for an attractive, competitive, resilient, future-oriented and fair agri-food system. Living and working conditions in rural areas are among the Vision’s four priority areas.

Outlining the main elements of fostering fair living and working conditions in vibrant rural areas, the Vision highlights the importance of strengthening the Rural Pact as a key instrument for dialogue and engagement of civil society and rural communities. 

The rural proofing principle, including territorial impact assessments, is expected to be further operationalised and sufficiently resourced at EU level.

Additionally, the Vision anticipates an update of the EU Rural Action Plan in 2025, to be consolidated with projects, initiatives and actions from numerous EU policies to respond to the post-2027 policy priorities.

The Vision considers simplification of EU rules, research, innovation and digitalisation cross-cutting drivers across its four priority areas:

• an attractive agri-food sector that ensures a fair standard of living;
• a competitive and resilient sector in the face of global challenges;
• a future-proof sector that works hand-in-hand with nature; and
• valuing food and fostering fair living and working condition in vibrant rural areas.

For more information, read the full Commission Communication, press release, factsheet, and Q&A page.