From 16 to 18 May 2025, 150 randomly selected citizens from all EU countries gathered in Brussels for the final session of the European Citizens’ Panel on the new EU budget. Their task: to bring forward fresh ideas on how the next Multiannual Financial Framework should respond to people’s needs and priorities.
The result is a set of 22 recommendations and 11 guiding principles – many of which reflect key priorities of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).
These include:
- ensuring fair and decent working conditions for young people,
- providing equal access to healthcare,
- combating rural exodus through education, jobs, and housing,
- promoting inclusive high-quality education for all through targeted EU support,
- ensuring the meaningful and sustainable inclusion of migrants and refugees.
Citizens also stressed the need to empower people in the use of digital technologies, including AI, and to support the development of small businesses and start-ups.
‘The EU budget is made for citizens,’ said Commissioner Piotr Serafin, who received the final recommendations on behalf of the European Commission. ‘And citizens hold so much first-hand information from the countries and regions they come from. This is invaluable for us in designing our future budget.’
Bringing citizens closer to the EU
The Citizens’ Panel is part of a broader effort to make citizen engagement a regular feature of EU policymaking. Participants worked in small groups and plenary sessions, supported by independent facilitators and experts.
Their recommendations will now feed into the Commission’s proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework. This means they will be taken into account by the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council during the upcoming negotiations.
The recommendations – together with input from an online Citizens' Engagement Platform – will be annexed to the legislative proposal and published for all to see.
This approach follows up on the 2024–2029 political priority ‘Delivering together and preparing our Union for the future’, which calls for a budget that is simpler, more focused on priorities, and more effective in delivering results.
