Please note that this event is in-person only, with the exception of CEPS Members who may request a link to follow virtually.
As the EU redefines its strategic agenda, the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will be central to translating political priorities into tangible investment. Yet as Europe faces intensifying global competition, trade tensions, security concerns and more frequent economic shocks, demand for EU spending is rising – while financial resources remain constrained. This mismatch poses difficult choices for policymakers and will shape the upcoming MFF negotiations.
A key challenge will be to ensure that EU funding is used more efficiently and effectively. While simplification, flexibility and greater leverage of private capital are essential, they are not enough on their own. What is ultimately needed is stronger sustained growth. In recent years, competitiveness has emerged as a central engine to achieve just this. The critical question now is whether the next MFF can help unlock a virtuous cycle: smarter investment driving competitiveness, competitiveness fuelling growth, and growth expanding the capacity of the EU and its Member States to meet both current and future challenges.
This panel brings together insights from the high-level political debate and institutional actors working closely with businesses, particularly SMEs and start-ups – major drivers of European innovation and competitiveness. Together, speakers will unpack two central questions:
- How can we expect the next MFF to foster competitiveness?
- How can EU budgetary instruments and funds evolve to meet the competitiveness challenge, while ensuring cohesion and real impact on the ground?
The event will be preceded by a networking lunch from 12:30-13:15
In collaboration with CDP
