On the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2026 - all sections

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs · Rapporteur: Romana Tomc

✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

This draft opinion for the 2026 EU budget calls for adequate funding for employment and social policies, stressing challenges like demographic change, poverty, and housing. It highlights the role of EU programmes and agencies, and supports the European Pillar of Social Rights targets.¶¶¶

Committee position. The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgets to incorporate these points into its motion for a resolution on the 2026 EU budget.¶

Key points

Underscores persistent socio-economic challenges, including demographic change, poverty, housing affordability and accessibility, necessitating budgetary support for EU employment and social policies.¶
Highlights the vital role of EU programmes, especially the European Social Fund+, European Globalisation Fund, Just Transition Fund, and Recovery and Resilience Facility, in supporting cohesion and resilience.¶
Underscores the importance of implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan and achieving its 2030 targets.¶
Highlights the necessity of supporting women, children, youth, families, and vulnerable groups, advocating targeted measures to combat youth unemployment and child poverty.¶
Emphasises the lack of policy responses to demographic challenges with an ageing population, and underscores the importance of adequate funding for care and support services.¶
Considers a proficient and prepared workforce essential for competitiveness and resilience, recognising the role of education, lifelong learning, skilling, reskilling, upskilling, vocational education and training, and traineeships.¶
Recalls the essential work of the five EU agencies active in social and employment policy, and emphasises they must be properly staffed and adequately resourced to fulfil their mandates.¶

Who is affected

EU agencies active in social and employment policy areas, which need proper staffing and resources.¶
Women, children, youth, families, and vulnerable groups, who should benefit from targeted measures.¶

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