Post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) – What’s at Stake?
What is the MFF?
The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is an EU regulation (Treaty of Lisbon) that defines the structure (headings, spending categories, policy areas etc) and maximum amount permitted to finance the EU objectives (referred as commitment appropriations). The MFF can only enter into force, when the European Parliament shares its “consent” followed by the adaption of the ‘Council Regulation on the MFF” by the EU Council.
To reach that final step however, it is really important to be aware of the process and how the negotiations between the different institutions help decide the priorities and how much the EU can spend in key policy areas—like education, mobility, youth, and training. To better understand the breakdown, check out the EU spending and revenue for the period of 2021-2027 by year and by country. The next MFF will run from 2028 to 2034, while the negotiations about its structure and priorities take off in summer of 2025.
Why Does the MFF Matter for Erasmus+?
Erasmus+ is the EU’s flagship programme supporting learning mobility, cooperation in education and training, youth participation, and sport. All decisions taken about and within MFF, will inevitably shape the programme’s future impact and accessibility for millions of learners and organisations across Europe and beyond. Why and to what extend is that the case?
Even if the MFF doesn’t directly fund a specific project or even a programme like Erasmus+, it acts as the foundation that can either enhance or limit the abilities and outreach of EU Programmes. With that framework, we are able to define the EU’s capacity to act and enact measures tackling EU and Member States’ priorities, different policy issues and areas. It’s the framework that enables the EU’s capacity, providing the financial means needed and put in place as part of the EU Budget.
As such, it is the foundation of the financial capacity the EU and how much money can be distributed across the different categories (Headings) of the EU Budget. It is the financial capacity that help introduce, continue or further expand EU’s actions within each category and the areas they address. As such, EU’s actions include all the EU programmes that are established to run and fininanced within the period covered by the MFF.
Lets take a look at the Erasmus+ Programme current budget. In which way did the Council Regulation on the MFF (2021-2027) connect and directed the programme’s budget?
a) The MFF Sets the Ceilings (“The Big Pot”):
Think of the entire EU budget (the MFF) as a large cabinet with several drawers. Each drawer is a broad policy area called a “Heading”. The MFF Regulation decides how big each drawer is, setting a maximum spending limit (a “ceiling”) for that category for the entire seven-year period.
For the 2021-2027 period, Erasmus+ funding is primarily under Heading 2: “Cohesion, Resilience and Values”. This heading includes everything from regional development to health, and crucially, investing in people, education, and youth.
b) Programmes Get a Specific Law (“The smaller box in the drawer”):
For a programme like Erasmus+ to exist, it needs its own specific regulation, known as its “legal basis”. This is a separate law, negotiated and adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, that defines the programme’s objectives, rules, and, most importantly, its own multi-year financial envelope. For 2021-2027, the Erasmus+ Regulation gives the programme a budget of approximately €26.2 billion.
When setting up the programme budget need to achieve its aim, the entire budget must fit comfortably inside the total ceiling set by the MFF for its respective Heading.
In short, the MFF approves the large drawer, and the legal basis has created a specific box for Erasmus+ inside that drawer.
c) The Annual Budget Decides the Yearly Spending (“Taking money out of the box”):
The €26.2 billion for Erasmus+ isn’t available all at once. Each year, the EU institutions negotiate an annual budget. This process determines exactly how much of the €26.2 billion will be spent in that specific year (e.g., €3.3 billion in 2023).
This annual figure can’t exceed the yearly limits laid out in the MFF.
What could happen to Erasmus+ within the next MFF?
A Concerning Restructuring Proposal
In June 2025, stakeholders were alerted to a worrying proposal by the European Commission regarding the future of Erasmus+ within the new MFF.
The draft proposal could lead to:
- Erasmus+ would be reduced to only Key Action 1 (KA1) – individual learning mobility.
- Key Actions 2 and 3 (KA2 and KA3) – covering cooperation and policy development – moved into a new “skills chapter” under the Competitiveness Fund. This change would centralise management at the European Commission level, removing National Agencies from their current role in KA2 and KA3.
- Participation of beneficiaries and thus target audience would become more competitive and less accessible, particularly for schools, youth organisations, VET providers, and grassroots NGOs.
- Funding would be subject to annual negotiations, introducing unpredictability and reducing the long-term stability needed for impactful cooperation.
How are Civil Society Organisations Reacting
With 2025 being the year where negotiations will be kicking off, we have joined forces and made sure to support the efforts and initiatives led by Civil Society. It is extremely important to recognise what lies ahead and how we can ensure that we are able to overcome current and future challenges across the world, the region and most importantly, within and betweeen our democratic societies.
Having to ensure a future that sustainable financial capacity is guaranteed. A future that aknowledges our work, commitment and ongoing efforts in holding policy makers accountable or making decision making processes more accessible and inclusive. As we face an increased amount of attacks on NGOs, Civil Society remains committed on the principles and values shared across our region.
Moving past the year and further ahead into the negotiations, we need the support of all insitutions in whatever way that is possible. Therefore, parallel to our advocacy on other programmes like CERV, we make sure to share the views and ideas of school students within the Erasmus+ Coalition. Coming together, across our 81 EU-level organisations and 6,200 member networks across Europe, our reaction is made loud and clear.
As we expect and aim towards a stronger and more empowering EU Budget, it is important to share the vision of the Coalition and the strong opposition towards any decision that compromises EU cooperation in and beyond education and youth. Looking at the evidence, the Coalition warns that such changes risk:
- Reducing Erasmus+ to a narrow mobility scheme.
- Detaching the programme from local communities and learners.
- Undermining long-standing structures that enable cross-sectoral, international collaboration.
- Prioritising labour market competitiveness over the public value of learning, inclusion, and civic engagement.
Why Must We Protect Erasmus+
- Erasmus+ Builds Democratic Resilience: Erasmus+ develops active citizenship, intercultural understanding, and solidarity. These competences are vital for a healthy democracy and social cohesion across Europe.
- Erasmus+ Drives Innovation and Competitiveness: By supporting the development of transversal and STEM skills, Erasmus+ enhances Europe’s competitiveness while also promoting tailored, lifelong learning across formal and non-formal education.
- Erasmus+ Creates Synergies Across Policies: The programme complements and connects with other EU funding instruments like the European Social Fund+, European Solidarity Corps, and Development Education initiatives. Yet, it remains unique in its structure and scope, and should be preserved as such.
- Erasmus+ Supports an Ecosystem of Multiplier Organisations: From national agencies to youth groups and schools, Erasmus+ enables a broad range of stakeholders to implement transformative projects. Removing KA2 and KA3 from the programme would dismantle the ecosystem that makes Erasmus+ impactful and inclusive.
Join us and other Civil Society Organisations – Share the Erasmus+ Coalition’s Demands
✅ Keep Erasmus+ intact – Learning mobility, cooperation, and policy development must remain under a single, standalone programme.
✅ Increase the budget fivefold to match the growing ambitions and ensure no learner is left behind.
✅ Ensure inclusive access for all young people and education providers, especially those with fewer opportunities.
✅ Support youth organisations structurally, not just through projects.
✅ Simplify processes by reducing administrative burdens—not by dismantling the programme.
✅ Ensure Erasmus+ goes beyond the EU, making opportunities open and accessible globally.
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Erasmus+ is more than mobility. It is a tool for transformation, inclusion, and European solidarity.
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Resources
Lifelong Learning Platfofrm – E+ Coalition on MFF (07/2025) [LinkedIn]
Presentation of the European Commission’s MFF proposal (07/2025)
- Statement by EC President – Commission’s proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework: the budget for 2028-2034
- Q&A to EC: Press on post-2027 MFF draft proposal presented by the EC President
European Parliament Priorities on MFF & European Parliament’s BUDG Committee meeting with Commissioner Piotr Serafin on MFF beyond 2027 and Own Resources (07/2025) [EP Multimedia on MFF]
European Youth Forum – Open letter: Don’t cut young people out (07/2025)
Letter to Member States and National Agencies: A Strong Erasmus+ is a Whole Erasmus+ (06/2025)
Common Demands of the Erasmus+ Coalition (05/2025)
The Future is Erasmus+: More Funding for Erasmus+ (05/2025)
Including Non-EU Countries in Erasmus+ (05/2025)
Mainstreaming Young People in the Next Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-34 (05/2025)
European Youth Forum: Principles for a Better Erasmus+ (04/2025)
Attacks on NGOs in the European Parliament – 600 Organisations Join Forces to Defend Civil Society (04/2025)
Common Civil Society Position Paper on the Outline of the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (03/2025)
