The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027 is a spending instrument of the European Union (EU). It sets the maximum amount the EU can spend for each year from 2021 to 2027. In 2021-2027, the average annual maximum expenditure will be €173 billion, or just over one percent of the value of the EU economy in one year. The maximum amount for each year is divided into seven spending areas. More than two thirds of the funds in 2021-2027 will go to cohesion (35%) and agriculture (33%); the rest goes to: internal market (12%), external policy (9%), administration (7%), migration (2%) and defense (1%). EU expenditure is financed by revenues that come mainly from the Member States. Each Member State pays a contribution proportional to the size of its own economy.
NextGenerationEU is a temporary EU spending tool worth €807 billion for the economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. The EU borrows the funds and invests EUR 421 billion in the form of grants in the Member States. Each Member State contributes a percentage to the repayment of the loan proportional to the size of its own economy. The EU will in turn lend the remaining amount of the loan, EUR 386 billion, on favorable terms to Member States that wish to make use of it. Member States that make effective use of it will repay their own loan in full.
More information about MFF and NextGenerationEU? Consult the EU info brochure The EU's 2021-2027 long-term budget & NextGenerationEU or the EU budget webpage of the European Commission.
Role of the Government of Flanders
During the negotiations on the MFF, the Government of Flanders is closely involved in the development of the Belgian position.
The Government of Flanders supplements the European subsidies for a number of EU programs with Flemish subsidies.
The Government of Flanders also implements a number of EU programs (project selection, supervision, management, payments). This is the case, for example, for:
• COVID-19 recovery policy (Recovery and Resilience Facility).
• Brexit recovery policy (Brexit Adjustment Reserve).
• Cohesion Policy (European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund+, Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe).
• Agriculture and Fisheries (European Agricultural Guarantee Fund, European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, European Fund for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries).
In addition, there are many other EU programs in which the Government of Flanders, federal government, provinces, municipalities, associations, companies and citizens participate, including:
• Horizon Europe (research, development, innovation)
• Erasmus+ (education, training and youth)
• Connecting Europe Facility (transport, energy ICT)
• Digital Europe
• InvestEU (investments through financial instruments)
• Life (environment and climate)
• COSME (SMEs)
• Creative Europe (culture, media and creative industries)
More information about participating in EU programs? Consult the EU subsidies web page of Flanders’ European Liaison Agency or contact the VLEVA subsidy team. Consult the European Commission webpages: EU funding programmes, Grants, loans, tenders