Ahead of the European Council meeting on 15–16 October 2026, ENSIE joined the EUFunds4Social Coalition in an open letter urging EU Heads of State and Government to safeguard social investment in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034.
The coalition, bringing together European networks and national organisations representing civil society, social services, workers and the social economy, warns that current budget proposals risk weakening the EU’s capacity to address growing social and territorial inequalities.
The open letter outlines five key demands:
-
Ensure an ambitious EU budget, in line with the European Parliament’s proposal of 1.27% of EU Gross National Income (GNI).
-
Protect funding for cohesion and social investment, ensuring adequate resources under Heading 1 and keeping NextGenerationEU repayments outside budget ceilings.
-
Safeguard the European Social Fund (ESF) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), maintaining dedicated funding and objectives, including €124 billion for the ESF as proposed by the European Parliament.
-
Increase the social spending target from 14% to at least 25% of National and Regional Partnership Plans to support the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
-
Guarantee direct EU funding for social innovation, capacity building and transnational cooperation, including for social economy actors and civil society organisations.
For ENSIE, protecting EU social funding is essential to supporting Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs), which create employment opportunities and promote the inclusion of people facing barriers to the labour market.
The coalition also calls for meaningful participation of civil society and social economy actors in EU funding programmes, alongside accessible funding conditions.
Investing in people, quality employment and social inclusion must remain at the heart of Europe's future budget.
Read the full open letter here below to discover the coalition's recommendations.