, Luca JAHIER (Civil Society Organisations - GR III/Italy)
Plenary session number
602
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The EESC warns that a weak long-term EU budget would undermine competitiveness, cohesion, agriculture and democracy. The Committee calls for a stronger, fairer and future-proof multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2028 to 2034.
Presentation of the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the EU Council on the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) by Mr Constantinos Masonos, co-chair of the MFF Ad Hoc Working Party
The EESC expresses concerns over rising geopolitical risks, unstable trade dynamics, and the investment deficit in Europe, stressing the need to strengthen EU competitiveness and enhance defence capabilities. The Committee also believes that it is necessary to adopt a set of measures to strengthen investment by ensuring the implementation of all Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) funds, with the new targets and, if necessary, deploying unused funds for new investment programmes in European public goods, creating a European Fund for Strategic Investment, strengthening the EIB's lending capacity to expand InvestEU and exploring the possibility of using European Stability Mechanism funds.
Given the significance of the provision of public goods for the well-being of the citizens, the EESC believes that particular attention should be paid to providing these European public goods (EPGs) and identifying them in the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) post-2027.
Special attention must be given to ‘functional EPGs’ – those linked to Article 3 TEU – that can ensure the normal functioning of the EU: the completion of the single market; the completion of the economic and monetary union; economic, social and territorial cohesion; EU open strategic autonomy (e.g. the joint EU health policy, food security, the EU energy union); defence and security; EU research and development; and the rule of law.
