The European Parliament’s Intergroup on the Future of Education and Skills for a Competitive Europe has just issued a Declaration on the Next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), now available on our website.
A Strategic Call for Education and Skills Investment
The declaration, issued by the Co-Chairs of the Intergroup, calls for a more ambitious and strategic financial commitment from the European Union and its Member States in the upcoming MFF for 2028–2034. The document frames education and skills not as a cost, but as a long-term investment vital to the EU’s prosperity and resilience.
Over recent years, public expenditure on education and training has fallen to historic lows. The declaration underscores this troubling trend and advocates for reversing it by dedicating at least 5% of GDP to education and at least 1% to training. It also proposes earmarking 20% of the entire EU budget to the education and training sector.
Policy Tools for Lasting Impact
In addition to funding, the declaration outlines a range of structural and policy changes aimed at easing investment in education. These include:
- Flexible treatment of education investment under EU fiscal rules
- Enhanced monitoring through the European Semester
- Dedicated EU instruments for educational infrastructure
- Promotion of Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs)
- Cross-sectoral cooperation and lifelong learning strategies
Furthermore, one of the key pillars of the declaration is a call to significantly increase funding for Erasmus+, ensuring it remains a standalone and fully empowered programme. The document argues that Erasmus+ is essential to fostering European identity and enabling broader participation across all sectors, including vocational education and training (VET).
Read the full declaration below:
intergroup declaration on mff