Sittings · Document
On the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2026 - all sections
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs · Rapporteur: Romana Tomc
The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgets to incorporate its suggestions into the motion for a resolution on the 2026 EU budget, focusing on social policies, employment, and poverty reduction.¶ It underscores persistent socio-economic challenges and calls for adequate budgetary support for EU employment and social policies, including increased investment in ESF+, youth employment, child poverty, mental health, and social dialogue.¶¶¶ It stresses the need for sufficient funding for skills, care, and cohesion policies, and calls for respecting workers' rights and ensuring public money only goes to compliant employers.¶¶¶
Committee position. The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs proposes amendments to the 2026 EU budget to increase funding for social policies, youth employment, child poverty, and social dialogue, and to ensure respect for workers' rights.¶¶¶
Key points
- Recalls the European Pillar of Social Rights and its Action Plan, including 2030 targets for jobs, skills, and poverty reduction.¶
- Expresses concern about limited margins in the Draft Budget and calls for mobilising adequate resources for EU employment and social policies.¶
- Calls on the Commission to prioritise mental health and reiterates the call for a directive on the right to disconnect.¶
- Calls on all Member States to allocate at least 12.5% of ESF+ resources under shared management to support youth employment and the Youth Guarantee.¶
- Calls on all Member States to allocate at least 5% of ESF+ resources under shared management to support the European Child Guarantee in 2026.¶
- Calls on the Commission to ensure sufficient, stable, and transparent funding for civil society organisations working on social inclusion.¶
- Regrets repeated cuts to budget lines for social dialogue and calls for more support for social partners and collective bargaining.¶
- Calls for adequate funding for the European Care Strategy and related initiatives in Budget 2026.¶
- Calls for adequate funding in Budget 2026 for skills policies under ESF+ and the Just Transition Fund, as well as other instruments.¶
- Calls for additional appropriations under the SMEs Pillar within the Single Market Programme for the Net-Zero Industry Academies in 2026.¶
- Underlines that cohesion policy must remain long-term and not be used as an emergency response tool.¶
- Calls for proper staffing and resources for EU agencies in social and employment policy areas, and for flexibility to convert SNE posts into temporary agent posts.¶
Who is affected
- Member States: must allocate minimum percentages of ESF+ resources to youth employment and child guarantee activities.¶¶
- Civil society organisations: should receive sufficient, stable, and transparent funding.¶
- Social partners and trade unions: need more support for social dialogue and training.¶
- EU agencies in social and employment policy: must be properly staffed and resourced.¶
- Employers: public money should only go to those respecting workers' rights.¶
Figures and deadlines
- 14.8% youth unemployment rate in the EU in April 2025.¶
- At least 12.5% of ESF+ resources under shared management for youth employment.¶
- 24.2% of children in the EU at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024.¶
- At least 5% of ESF+ resources under shared management for the European Child Guarantee in 2026.¶
Legal basis: Article 152 TFEU and articles 174 and 175 of the TFEU.¶¶
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text and ¶ links to the paragraph it rests on. Check the text itself before relying on it.