The Commission’s proposals for the 2028–2034 MFF and the introduction of National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs) represent a significant shift in EU funding governance with risks to regional participation. At the same time, the proposed phase-out of the Just Transition Fund, optional territorial transition plans, and limited social safeguards may weaken the EU’s capacity to deliver a fair transition. These changes come just as (delayed) ETS2 is planned to enter into force in 2028, creating potential affordability challenges for households and SMEs. Unless strong governance and social fairness safeguards are embedded across cohesion policy and NRPP implementation, these reforms risk widening inequalities and weakening the EU’s capacity to support vulnerable regions through the climate and industrial transitions. The Irish Presidency can play a leading role in ensuring cohesion remains Europe’s solidarity engine and that the transition to a climate-neutral economy is socially just and regionally balanced. This joint briefing from EJNI and Solidar sets out a range of recommendations that can support this goal.
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