In the next step of the 2026 EU budgetary process, the European Parliament voted on 13 October to reverse the cuts proposed by the Council in July 2025 (see for more details, ACA Newsletter – Education Europe, July 2025).  

Seeking to strengthen the EU’s priorities in uncertain times and to boost research, competitiveness and defence, MEPs proposed to increase the level of commitment appropriations for 2026 by EUR 597.8 million compared to the European Commission’s initial proposal (see ACA Newsletter -Education Europe, June 2025). 

Parliament underlined that, amid global instability, security threats, rising protectionism and accelerating climate change, the EU requires a robust, investment-oriented budget that supports people and long-term priorities. MEPs criticised the Council’s proposed reductions, arguing that they disregard real needs and undermine flagship programmes such as Erasmus+ and EU4Health. 

Accordingly, Parliament proposed to restore and slightly increase the allocations for Horizon Europe by EUR 60 million and Erasmus+ by EUR 5 million, outlined in the table below. 

The plenary vote opens three weeks of negotiations between the Parliament and Council, which adopted its position on 5 September, to reach an agreement on next year’s EU budget before the end of 2025. The first round of talks is expected to take place on 4 November.