As Vice-President of the European Parliament and initiator of the first intergroup dedicated to education and skills, MEP Victor Negrescu is calling for at least 20% of the EU’s future long-term budget to be allocated to education and training, to ensure that every young person has the right to quality education, access to modern learning methods, and the development of future-oriented skills.

The Draghi report on European competitiveness highlights the continent’s skills deficit, noting that one in four companies struggles to find suitable employees, while half report moderate difficulties. Likewise, the Letta report on the future of the single market underscores the importance of investing in education to reduce regional disparities and boost European competitiveness.

Currently, education and training receive an average allocation of around 8% annually under the 2021–2027 Multiannual Financial Framework. For example, in 2025, approximately 6% of the EU budget will be allocated to education — around €12 billion out of an annual budget of €200 billion.

”Education must not be seen as a cost — it is the most important strategic investment for the development of our society. But without a clear European plan and adequate funding, we risk leaving young people unprepared for the challenges of the future. We need an integrated strategy that supports digital skills, teachers, and equal access to quality education. This is why we propose allocating 20% of the future European budget to education and skills — an essential investment for a competitive, innovative, and fair Europe. We are calling for a firm commitment to make education a real European priority,” said Victor Negrescu.

At the same time, Negrescu is proposing a relaunch of the Erasmus Programme, one of the initiatives he has worked on and for which he secured an additional €422 million as the lead negotiator for the 2025 EU budget.

”I have proposed relaunching it in the form of a true Erasmus 2.0, which would become a pillar of European education and enable the creation of a common curriculum and joint degrees recognised at European level. One such initiative is the European Schools Alliance, which connects schools, students, teachers, and decision-makers from across the EU to create a shared educational experience,” added the European Parliament Vice-President.

For Victor Negrescu, education has been a consistent priority throughout his mandates — reflected in key achievements such as: simplifying access to funding and supporting a single market for skills; securing a minimum allocation of 10% for education from the budgets of the national recovery and resilience plans (approximately €65 billion EU-wide); and proposing a European investment framework for education and skills.

In this context, under his initiative, the intergroup on the future of education and skills for a competitive Europe, which he co-chairs, will propose increasing funding to at least €40 billion per year in the next EU long-term budget to support lifelong learning, digitalisation, innovation in education, and investment in educational infrastructure.

”A strong society starts with a better education system. Investing in education is not just a moral responsibility — it is an economic necessity,” concluded Victor Negrescu.