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OPINION (2026/0196(BUD))

On the General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2027 - all sections

EMPL-AD-789873

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs · Rapporteur: Romana Tomc

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 17 Oct 2026

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The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs asks the Committee on Budgets to include its points in the 2027 budget resolution. It calls for adequate funding for EU employment and social policies, the European Social Fund plus (ESF+) and related funds, and for a strong separate ESF in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). It urges sufficient resources for anti-poverty actions, the European Child Guarantee, gender budgeting, social conditionalities and the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. It asks for support for vulnerable groups, family-friendly policies, skills and training, occupational safety and health, and the five EU employment and social agencies. It calls for simpler EU funding rules, better absorption of funds, and more money for translation and interpretation and for budget line 07 20 04 09.

Committee position. The committee asks the Committee on Budgets to incorporate its points into the 2027 budget resolution, calling for adequate funding for employment and social policies, the ESF+ and related funds, anti-poverty actions, skills, occupational safety and health, and the EU social agencies.

Key points

  1. Calls for adequate resources for EU employment and social policies and for adapting skills, training and industrial policies to a just twin transition.
  2. Highlights the role of the ESF+, European Globalisation Fund, Just Transition Fund and Social Climate Fund, and calls for a strong, separate ESF in the next MFF.
  3. Urges the Commission to commit sufficient resources to anti-poverty actions in the 2027 budget and next MFF, and repeats the call for at least EUR 20 billion for the European Child Guarantee.
  4. Calls on all member states to allocate at least 5 % of ESF+ resources under shared management to the European Child Guarantee and to apply the Housing First principle.
  5. Calls for gender mainstreaming, gender budgeting and monitoring of women's labour market participation, pay and pension gaps.
  6. Insists that EU funding rules include social conditionalities on quality jobs, workers' rights and collective bargaining in public procurement and concessions.
  7. Calls on member states to speed up use of EU funds and asks the Commission to simplify spending rules and increase technical assistance.
  8. Asks for dedicated programmes for women, children, youth, families, persons with disabilities and Roma, with attention to single parents and large families.
  9. Calls for funding for long-term and early childhood education and care, sustainable pensions, and policies for workers of all ages and with disabilities or chronic diseases.
  10. Stresses funding for skills, vocational education and training, traineeships, apprenticeships and lifelong learning, including Union of Skills initiatives and Net Zero Industry Academies.
  11. Calls for stronger prevention and enforcement on occupational safety and health, including psychosocial risks, and for resources for the five EU employment and social agencies, including the ETF beyond July 2027.
  12. Calls for increased funding for translation and interpretation and for budget line 07 20 04 09, and for impartial evaluation of pilot projects and preparatory actions.

Who is affected

  • Member states: asked to allocate at least 5 % of shared-management ESF+ resources to the European Child Guarantee and to speed up use of EU funds.
  • The Commission: urged to fund anti-poverty actions, simplify EU funding rules and increase technical assistance.
  • Workers and vulnerable groups: targeted by calls for quality jobs, social conditionalities and dedicated programmes.
  • The five EU employment and social agencies: should receive commensurate financial and human resources.
  • EU institutions' translation and interpretation services: called to receive increased funding and direct employment.

Figures and deadlines

  • 1 in 5 people in the EU are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
  • 19.5 million children in 2024 are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
  • At least EUR 20 billion for the European Child Guarantee.
  • At least 5 % of ESF+ resources under shared management for the European Child Guarantee.
  • 2030 targets of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan.
  • ETF resources needed beyond July 2027.
  • Budget line 07 20 04 09 (Information and training measures for workers' organisations).

Legal basis: Article 152 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union