The European Commission’s proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034 risks weakening one of the European Union’s most tangible achievements: its investment in social services that has protected its most vulnerable for decades.
Behind the technical language of budget reform lies a fundamental political choice: whether social investment remains a visible and protected priority or becomes diluted within broader national spending plans.
For decades, the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) has served as the EU’s flagship instrument for investing in people.
It has financed employment support, child and family support, alternative care reforms, disability inclusion, long-term care programmes, and community-based services across Europe. Most importantly, it has provided something social services depend on, which is predictability.
As a dedicated fund with a clear legal basis, earmarked resources, and explicit social objectives, the ESF+ has ensured that funding for inclusion cannot easily be redirected elsewhere.
