for the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028\u20132034<\/b> is Greece<\/b>, which is formulating a comprehensive strategic intervention aimed at securing critical financing tools<\/b> and strengthening <\/b>its negotiating position in Brussels<\/b>. The Greek side proposes a framework of five key pillars focusing on <a href="https:\/\/tomanifesto.gr\/protection<\/a> of agricultural policy<\/b> and cohesion policy, the upgrading of insularity<\/b> as a specific development criterion, as well as ensuring equal access to the new European Competitiveness Fund<\/b>. At the same time, it seeks to influence the debate on the redesign of EU funding flows<\/b>, at a time when the transition from the traditional cost-reimbursement model<\/b> to a system of disbursement based on the achievement of specific<\/b> objectives and reforms<\/b>. This new framework is expected to comprehensively reshape the logic of European resource allocation<\/b>, while creating new balances and challenges for all Member States<\/b>.<\/p>\nThe negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028\u20132034<\/b> are at a critical juncture, with the positions of the member states<\/b> still significantly diverging from one another<\/b>. According to diplomatic sources close to the negotiations<\/b>, as reported by ERTnews.gr, Athens has formulated clear positions on five key pillars<\/b>.<\/p>\nThe priorities <\/h3>\n
Greece\u2019s top priority is to safeguard the so-called \u201cflagship\u201d policies, namely the Common Agricultural Policy and the Cohesion Policy. Our country has aligned itself with the letter from the \u201cfriends of cohesion\u201d (initially 16, then 17 member states) while there is a risk that Cohesion Policy will lose its identity within the new unified framework of the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs). At the same time, Greece is pushing for the recognition of insularity as a specific development factor. A new strategy that is explicitly provided for by the Commission for the first time, reflecting relevant Greek pressure.<\/p>\n
In the context of the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), Greece does not dispute the \u201ccriterion of excellence,\u201d that is, the funding of each project based on its quality rather than its national origin. However, it does challenge the interpretation of certain \u201cfrugal\u201d countries, which tend to equate excellence with the large companies of the north. <\/p>\n
Athens calls for equal access for all member states, with an emphasis on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and establishing national contact points to prepare businesses for competitive calls for proposals. It is worth noting that fourteen member states (including Greece, Estonia, and other Eastern European countries) submitted a joint call to strengthen the relevant provisions in the ECF regulation.<\/p>\n
Strengthening oversight <\/h3>\n
Regarding the \u201cGlobal Europe\u201d sector, the Greek side calls for a substantial strengthening of the Council\u2019s oversight over the allocation of resources, citing the lack of accountability that has characterized the operation of the relevant Directorate-General under the current framework. Furthermore, Athens emphasizes that the EU\u2019s southern neighborhood faces geopolitical challenges just as serious as those on the eastern front. A position aimed at preventing an unequal allocation of resources in favor of eastern partners.<\/p>\n
Regarding the total budget amount, Greece supports an allocation as close as possible to the Commission\u2019s proposal. Regarding defense funding, it supports considering borrowing as an additional tool. <\/p>\n
Finally, regarding the abolition of rebates, the Greek position is reportedly undergoing a review, as it has shifted from being opposed in principle to now considering corrective mechanisms that would balance national burdens.<\/p>\n
Changes to the disbursement mechanism and points of friction
<\/h3>\n
Beyond the differences regarding the amounts, the new MFF introduces a radical change in the logic of disbursing EU funds, which many Member States view with reservation.<\/p>\n
Under the current system, funding is based on reimbursement of expenses. That is, the Member State undertakes and finances the project, pays the contractor in advance, and then submits a reimbursement request to the European Commission, attaching all invoices. The Commission, in turn, verifies the eligibility of each expense and reimburses the corresponding amount. If expenses are rejected as ineligible, the burden is transferred to each country\u2019s national budget.<\/p>\n
The new model, inspired by the logic of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), completely changes this process. Each Member State prepares a single National and Regional Partnership Plan (NRPP), which integrates investments and reforms into a common framework. The Commission will approve milestones and targets for each measure in advance. Disbursements will no longer be made based on invoices, but on the achievement of agreed targets. Thus, the Member State will pay the contractor and submit a statement of achievement, on the basis of which the Commission will disburse the corresponding amount. A portion of the funding is earmarked for reforms and is released only if these are implemented, even if they do not fall within the same sector as the investment, a fact that raises serious concerns.<\/p>\n
This system, however, creates new tensions, primarily institutional ones, as countries with constitutional constraints, such as Germany and Belgium, struggle to establish a central coordinating body, while countries with strong regional authorities, such as Spain, object to the downgrading of their role. Second, administrative, since the transition from invoice verification to target verification requires a complete reorganization of administrative authorities. Third, fiscal, given that in a scenario where a reform is not fulfilled, the Member State will have already paid the contractor without having received the full amount from the European Union.<\/p>\n
Key points <\/h3>\n
In this context, the main points of contention in the negotiations are:<\/p>\n
\u2022 the fate of rebates, which the \u201cfrugal\u201d countries categorically refuse to accept,
\u2022 the total budget size, with requested cuts ranging from \u221220% (Sweden) to a +10% increase requested by the European Parliament,
\u2022 the strengthening of the rule of law criterion, which now applies to a wider range of countries beyond Hungary,
\u2022 the request by Eastern European countries for additional funding due to geopolitical pressure,
\u2022 institutional objections to the structure of the NRPPs (National and Regional Partnership Plans), and the issue of repaying NextGenerationEU within the new MFF.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Athens\u2019s 5 priorities in the 2028\u20132034 Multiannual Financial Framework, with an emphasis on the primary sector, cohesion and insularity, and changes to the disbursement of EU funds.In the spotlight …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10267,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10266\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}