Press ReleasesMFF 2028-2034: Council agrees partial mandate on Global Europe
MFF 2028-2034: Council agrees partial mandate on Global Europe
The Council today reached a partial negotiating position on Global Europe, the EU’s main financing instrument for external action for the period 2028 to 2034.
Global Europe streamlines the EU’s external financing architecture by consolidating multiple previous instruments into a single framework. It brings together development, neighbourhood, enlargement and foreign policy tools, combining programmable and non‑programmable actions within a structure around six complementary pillars, five geographic pillars and a strengthened global pillar. It aims to uphold the Union’s values, advance its strategic interests globally, foster sustainable development, promote stronger mutually beneficial partnerships with partners, reinforce effective multilateralism and support candidate countries and potential candidates on their path toward EU integration.
In an increasingly unpredictable world, the EU needs an external action instrument that is both strategic and flexible. Today’s agreement strengthens our ability to support our partners, advance enlargement, respond to emerging challenges and promote the Union’s interests and values globally. It sends a clear message that the EU is ready to act with unity and ambition on the world stage.
Constantinos Kombos, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus
The negotiating position is ‘partial’ because it excludes financial and horizontal issues. These are currently being discussed as part of the negotiations on the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) covering the period 2028 to 2034.
Main amendments in the Council position
The compromise text adopted by the Council introduces a number of modifications to the framework, to ensure Global Europe remains a flexible and effective instrument while providing member states with a stronger role in setting strategic priorities and overseeing implementation.
The agreed partial mandate also places greater emphasis on enlargement and the European neighbourhood, and enhances the instrument’s capacity to address migration and respond to emerging challenges in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.
Stronger strategic steering by the Council
A central element of the Council’s position is the reinforcement of the governance framework of the instrument, including a stronger role for the Council in providing strategic and political guidance throughout the implementation of Global Europe. The mandate establishes more structured exchanges between the Council and the Commission, including through annual strategic debates and regular discussions on programming and implementation.
The agreed approach also enhances the Council’s oversight of flexibility mechanisms and strengthens the examination procedure under comitology, ensuring that member states remain closely involved in decisions relating to the implementation of the instrument.
Enhanced role in enlargement and neighbourhood support
The Council agreed to strengthen its role in the implementation of support provided under the Europe pillar, particularly for enlargement partners and countries in the Eastern neighbourhood. The compromise introduces a greater use of Council implementing acts in defining framework conditions linked to the performance-based plans – that is, the programming and reform framework that certain partner countries would submit to the EU to obtain financial support under Global Europe.
For enlargement partners, the Council would also play a role in approving positive assessments of performance-based plans. Regarding Ukraine, the Council would continue to determine whether the conditions for disbursements have been fulfilled, maintaining a central role in the governance of EU support.
More effective response to emerging challenges
The regulation sets out an emerging challenges and priorities cushion to rapidly address unforeseen global shocks, natural disasters or migratory crises. Recognising the increasingly volatile international environment, the Council agreed on provisions that reinforce political oversight of the mechanism designed to address emerging challenges and priorities.
The agreed text clarifies that the mechanism should be used in response to unforeseen circumstances and emerging challenges, and provides for regular exchanges of views between the Commission and the Council before any potential mobilisations. This aims to strike a balance between flexibility and strategic guidance in responding in a timely manner to crises and evolving and new geopolitical challenges.
Balanced approach to migration and forced displacement
The partial mandate establishes a balanced framework for cooperation with partner countries on migration and forced displacement. The agreed provisions combine positive incentives for cooperation with a suspension mechanism linked to partner countries’ international law obligations, including the readmission of their own nationals. At the same time, the Council would play an important role in assessing the political appropriateness of activating such measures, ensuring that decisions take account of the broader context of the EU’s relations with partner countries.
The approach seeks to strengthen comprehensive migration partnerships while respecting international obligations and maintaining support for sustainable solutions to displacement.
Promoting European interests and Team Europe
The Council’s position preserves the principle of open and fair competition while allowing for the promotion of European preferenceand the direct participation of European companies in procurement and award procedures, particularly in key strategic sectors (such as energy, digital and critical infrastructure) where the EU’s strategic autonomy and security interests are at play.
The agreed text also strengthens provisions relating to the Team Europe approach, reinforcing cooperation between EU institutions, member states and European financial institutions in delivering the Union’s external action. In addition, the partial mandate provides a more prominent role for the European Investment Bank and strengthens the role of Global Gateway as the EU’s strategy for sustainable and trusted global investment partnerships.
Next steps
The partial negotiating position approved today is the Council’s mandate to start negotiations with the European Parliament on Global Europe. The decision on the programme’s budget for 2028-2034 will depend on the final agreement on the next Multiannual Financial Framework.
Background
On 16 July 2025, the European Commission presented its proposal for a regulation establishing Global Europe, the EU’s future financing instrument for external action for the period 2028-2034, with an overall financial envelope of €200 billion.
The Global Europe programme is a key element of the next MFF, the EU’s seven-year spending plan. Following the European Commission’s initial proposals for the 2028–2034 period presented in July and September 2025, an EU agreement on the overall MFF by the end of 2026 would allow for the adoption of legislative acts in 2027, which is necessary to ensure that EU funding reaches beneficiaries without interruption from January 2028.
