A Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the Climate

The EU’s long-term budget, the so-called Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), constitutes the political and legal framework, which defines the EU’s spending priorities over a multi-year period. The MFF “translates” EU policies into real implementation by financing public services or investing in infrastructure projects. The MMF can thus be a key instrument for directing Europe towards a greener and more sustainable future.  

The project looks at lessons learned from the current MFF (2014–20). It assesses the impacts that the new legislative proposals would have on Member States and on future national and regional spending programmes. It also makes recommendations on said legislative proposals and on the investment priorities of the national and regional EU funds, and promotes stakeholder involvement in the programming and planning of future EU funds.

During the course of the project, workshops will be delivered in Berlin and Warsaw and a conference held in Brussels. To enable MEPs to follow up on and ensure the sustainability of EU funding, the project implementing partners will roll out targeted outreach (e.g. around the European Parliament elections).

To maximise the project’s impact at the national and EU levels, its results will be widely communicated to different stakeholders (e.g. the European Commission, the European Parliament, national governments, business groups, trade unions, civil society and the media).

Participants of the MFF project kick-off meeting, held in Brussels in October 2018, Photo: ©András Lukacs

• Policy recommendations and analyses: The project contributed to climate protection being more firmly anchored in the EU budget. In line with the project's analyses and recommendations, the EU increased the share of climate-related expenditure in the Multiannual Financial Framework and the Recovery Plan from 20 to 30 per cent. 
• Civil society participation: The project incorporated the positions of civil society organisations from across Europe into the political process. The organisations strengthened their ability to assess and monitor EU financial policy from a climate perspective (including workshops in Berlin and Warsaw, webinars and a conference in Brussels).
• Concrete policy proposals: Through reports and briefings, the project provided concrete proposals on how to align investments more closely with European climate goals and reduce subsidies for fossil fuels (report Climate Change and the EU Budget, briefing A budget to address the climate crisis). 
• Political pressure: By specifically addressing decision-makers at European and national level, the project increased political pressure for more climate-friendly financial planning and thus indirectly contributed to reducing emissions (including a Letter to Heads of State before a Council meeting in Brussels in February 2020 and a Letter to EU Environment Ministers in December 2019).