EU Budget 2025 To Focus On Research, Health, Education, And Climate Action
The European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets has adopted its position on the EU budget for 2025, with a focus on research, health, education, and climate action.
The adopted position includes restoring €1.52 billion in funding cuts proposed by the Council, bringing allocations back in line with the original levels set by the European Commission.
On Monday, MEPs emphasised the importance of maintaining robust support for programs that address the ongoing impacts of Russia’s war against Ukraine, while also investing in initiatives that will drive the EU’s green and digital transformations and support economic recovery.
The restored funds ensure that critical programs can continue to play their part in building a stronger and more resilient Europe.
Key areas receiving increased funding include research and innovation, with Horizon Europe gaining an additional €242 million, supplemented by €180 million from unspent research funds.
The Connecting Europe Facility, which supports the development of essential transport and energy networks, received an extra €70 million, while the Digital Europe Programme saw a boost of €15 million, reinforcing Europe’s commitment to the digital transition.
Support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) was also increased by €5 million, reflecting their critical role in driving economic growth.
Health and education remain top priorities for the 2025 budget.
The EU4Health program, aimed at improving healthcare across the EU, received an additional €50 million, focusing on the prevention of major illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and childhood illnesses, as well as improving mental health services.
The Erasmus+ program saw a €70 million increase, aimed at making educational opportunities more accessible, especially for those facing economic hardships. Creative Europe received an extra €8 million to support cultural and creative sectors across the continent.
Further investments have been made in agriculture and environmental protection. MEPs allocated €40 million in additional support for young farmers, while the Common Agricultural Policy received €56 million more for programs supporting the fruit and vegetable sectors, school nutrition schemes, and the promotion of agricultural products.
The LIFE program, dedicated to climate action, biodiversity, and nature conservation, gained an additional €49 million, ensuring continued progress in these critical areas.
The EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism also received a €42 million boost to enhance responses to natural disasters, particularly those linked to climate change.
Migration, border management, and security are also addressed in the new budget position. The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund was increased by €25 million, while the Border Management and Visa Instrument received an additional €35 million, providing support for Romania and Bulgaria’s Schengen accession process.
The Internal Security Fund was allocated an extra €5 million to combat serious and organized crime, including cybercrime, with €20 million more directed towards military mobility.
In light of the ongoing geopolitical challenges, the EU’s support for neighboring regions has been reinforced.
MEPs increased funding for the Southern Neighbourhood by €60 million to support reforms and address humanitarian needs, while the Eastern Neighbourhood received an additional €50 million to assist countries such as Moldova.
An extra €120 million was allocated for humanitarian aid, responding to the rising needs caused by global crises and climate emergencies.
The Committee also addressed concerns regarding the rising costs associated with the European Recovery Instrument (EURI). As repayment costs for EURI have doubled for 2025, MEPs stressed that these expenses should not impact essential programs like Erasmus+ or research initiatives.
To manage these financial challenges, MEPs have restored cuts made by member states to appropriations for these costs and advocated for the use of the new “EURI cascade mechanism.”
This mechanism, introduced through the recent revision of the EU’s long-term budget framework, aims to handle escalating borrowing costs from the Next Generation EU initiative without compromising the flexibility and responsiveness of the EU budget.
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