Source: European Parliament
The next multiannual financial framework is an opportunity to better focus EU spending on the EU’s shared priorities. Addressing demographic change is one of these shared priorities. In general, as per the Commission’s political guidelines[1], the EU will also step up its work on preventive health, in particular for mental health and cardiovascular diseases, as well as on treatments for degenerative illnesses.
As recalled in the recent Commission’s communication on ‘The road to the next multiannual financial framework’[2], financing the social transition will require maximising public investment and leveraging private capital.
There is scope for increasing additionality to ensure that the EU budget focuses on investments which would not have materialised otherwise.
Reinforcing the link between overall policy coordination and the EU budget will also be key to ensure better alignment with EU priorities and inform decisions on investments and reforms at EU and national level, including in the social care sector.
In line with the ‘better regulation’ principles[3], the Commission intends to use evidence-based policymaking supported by thorough impact assessments and stakeholder consultations to ensure future initiatives address actual needs.
In addition, a comprehensive performance framework will support the monitoring and reporting of the progress toward the defined objectives, using appropriate performance indicators.
- [1] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683-f63ffb2cf648_en?filename=Political%20Guidelines%202024-2029_EN.pdf.
- [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52025DC0046.
- [3] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/d0bbd77f-bee5-4ee5-b5c4-6110c7605476_en?filename=swd2021_305_en.pdf.