Citizens’ panel on European budget
From 28 March 2025, a randomly selected citizens' panel will discuss the design of the European Union's next long-term budget. All EU citizens are able to take part in the debate online since 12 February.
What is the long-term EU budget?
The long-term EU budget determines for several years how much money will flow into the EU budget and what it will be spent on. The current long-term budget runs from 2021 to 2027 and amounts to €1.2 trillion, which is roughly equivalent to one per cent of the EU's gross domestic product.
Gross domestic product is the total value of all goods and services produced as end products within the borders of an economy during an economic year. The EU budget also includes around 800 billion euros from NextGenerationEU, the temporary instrument for recovery from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EU budget is used to fund projects and measures for the social and economic development of European regions. Farmers in rural regions are supported, the environment is protected and climate change is combated. Other examples include promoting the digital transformation of society as well as research and innovation.
New approach for modern EU budget
The Commissions initial proposal for the next EU long-term budget is available since 12 February 2025. EU countries, businesses and citizens need to reconsider the way the EU budget works to make it fit for the future, the EU Commission says. To continue to support a free, democratic, secure, prosperous and competitive Europe, the long-term budget needs to be simpler, more impactful, and more targeted.
The new approach for a modern EU budget should include:
- A plan for each country: The new approach to a modern EU budget should include a plan for each country with key reforms and investments, designed and implemented in co-operation with national, regional and local authorities.
- European Competitiveness Fund: This fund should create investment capacity to support strategic sectors and critical technologies.
- Funding for external action: a reorganised funding for external action should be more effective, targeted and focused on strategic interests and contribute to a new foreign policy.
- Protecting the rule of law: The budget should also include additional safeguards to protect the rule of law. In addition, the EU budget should be able to draw on modernised revenues to ensure sufficient and sustainable funding for our common priorities.
Have your say
The Commission is now inviting all Europeans to have their say on the next budget and the policies it should support, ahead of presenting a formal proposal in July 2025. It has launched a series of online participations that will run for twelve weeks until May 2025.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: ‘The next long-term budget will strengthen our Union's shared vision for the future. It translates our common priorities into concrete actions that will make a difference for millions of citizens, businesses, regions and researchers. That is why we are inviting all Europeans to have their say through public consultations, a citizens‘ panel or the Citizens’ Participation Platform. This is an invitation to shape a modern, ambitious and strengthened budget. Our challenges are also common goals: Together we are stronger."
Door-to-door approach for recruiting panellists
In February 2025, the European Commission launched a campaign in all 27 EU Member States to recruit participants for a citizens' forum on the new EU budget.
The recruitment was conducted using a door-to-door approach and is managed by the Sortition Foundation, the official partner of the European Commission. In this door-knocking lottery procedure, the Sortition Foundation cooperated with its partner organisations in the SORT-EU network. The network connects more than 30 organisations within the European Union that have agreed to work together on transnational and other democratic lotteries.
150 participants will be randomly selected
Ultimately, out of all registered citizens 150 will be randomly selected to represent EU demographic diversity and invited to come to Brussels. There they will work together to formulate concrete recommendations on a new long-term EU budget 'fit for our ambition'. The panel debate is accompanied by an online platform offering everyone the opportunity to take part.
The panel will take place over 3 weekends in spring 2025, from Friday - Sunday:
- 1st weekend: 28 - 30 March in Brussels
- 2nd weekend: 25 - 27 April online
- 3rd weekend: 16 - 18 May in Brussels
Next long-term budet takes effect in 2028
The EU budget must be adopted unanimously by all member states and by a majority of the European Parliament. Once agreed later in 2025, the next long-term budget will take effect in January 2028.