General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2026 - all sections

The Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety calls on the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

1. Underlines that the Union budget for 2026 continues to reflect central factors identified during the mid-term revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), notably the continued need to accelerate the green and digital transition as well as a the need of enhancing competitiveness and innovation, adopting a water resilience strategy that addresses the different needs of the Member States and particularly those that face acute water scarcity, while responding to ongoing geopolitical challenges such as the war in Ukraine, as well as humanitarian needs in the Southern Neighbourhood and the increasing frequency and impacts of natural disasters; notes that the budget must ensure that resources are allocated efficiently and managed with clear accountability to deliver measurable results;

2. Underscores the importance of prioritising agreed Union objectives, ensuring efficient resource allocation and strengthening competitiveness; calls for adequate financial and human resources, including to the relevant agencies, to implement Union legislation adopted in the previous European Parliament’s term, particularly in the areas of climate action, environmental protection and food safety, with a specific emphasis on measures contributing to climate mitigation and adaptation, protecting biodiversity, circular economy and zero pollution goals, in light of increasing implementation demands as the 2021–2027 programmes progress towards full operational deployment; considers that the 2026 annual budget should support the 8th Environmental Action Programme requirement and the Commission’s commitment to phase out all environmentally harmful subsidies;

3. Highlights the importance of secondary legislation for the completeness and functioning of Union budget and for maintaining legal certainty, consistency and predictability for stakeholders and recipients; underlines that initiatives for administrative simplification should ensure that budget lines are used efficiently to meet envisaged policy targets and take into account the costs for stakeholders and of such initiatives;

4. Welcomes the Union's continued commitment to global partnerships, including environmental and climate resilience actions in neighbouring and partner countries; underlines the importance of maintaining funding for external climate objectives under the Global Gateway and in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; further emphasises the importance of ensuring focussed, cost-effective actions that maximize impact and safeguard efficient resource use and the aim to increase the Union’s strategic autonomy;

5. Recalls the European Green Deal’s central role in strengthening the Union’s competitiveness and advancing the transition to a sustainable and climate-neutral economy, through key initiatives such as the Clean Industrial Deal; emphasises the need for budgetary coherence in balancing competitiveness, decarbonisation, and resilience objectives; reiterates that implementing the European Green Deal is essential for achieving the Union’s climate goals and securing long-term competitiveness, particularly by supporting clean innovation and industrial decarbonisation;

6. Welcomes the Union budget’s continued commitment to climate objectives, ensuring that at least 30% of the MFF supports climate action; stresses the need for more robust tracking and reporting methodologies to enhance transparency, effectiveness and alignment with the Union’s 2050 climate neutrality objective; notes that the 2026 draft budget upholds this priority, with a significant increase in payment appropriations for climate-related expenditures (+199,3%); recalls that prudent budgetary planning is instrumental to ensure public trust; regrets the 9% reduction in commitment appropriations, warning that it could jeopardize the Union’s medium- and long-term climate neutrality targets;

7. Notes with concern that the biodiversity expenditure target of 10% for 2026 is unlikely to be met; observes that, despite efforts to increase its share of Union spending, biodiversity mainstreaming remains below target; calls on the Commission to implement remedial measures to close this gap, as biodiversity-relevant expenditure is projected to reach only 7,8% of the Union budget in 2026, jeopardizing the 10% target for 2027; calls for increased funding for cross-border biodiversity protection projects, especially in regions which are biologically highly valuable but exposed to the pressures of climate change and human activities;

8. Notes that, under Heading 3 ‘Natural Resources and Environment’ of the 2026 Union budget, commitment appropriations remain largely stable at EUR 56,97 billion, while payment appropriations are expected to increase to EUR 53,13 billion; while welcoming this upward trend, underlines the importance of maintaining a high level of financial ambition to ensure progress towards the Union’s climate and environmental goals;

9. Calls on the Commission and Member States to explore opportunities in the 2026 Union budget to support innovation and sustainability, where appropriate, by taking into account relevant environmental and social considerations; highlights the role of community-led initiatives, cooperatives and social enterprises in delivering local climate solutions, building resilience and engaging vulnerable populations in sustainability efforts; underlines the role of budgetary instruments in contributing to integrated economic, social, and environmental development;

10. Recalls that the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) remains an important driver of green investment, with REPowerEU supporting clean energy initiatives and the transition away from fossil fuel dependence; highlights continued concerns over delays and uneven implementation; reiterates the obligation for Member States to allocate at least 37% of their RRF spending to climate-related measures and calls for accelerated implementation to maximize impact;

11. Stresses the need to allocate sufficient funding for each budget line that contributes to the achievement of the green transition and especially focusing on climate change mitigation and adaptation, circular economy, pollution reduction and biodiversity restoration and protection, including by bolstering and improving financing for nature-based solutions and measurable improvements in water use efficiency, investing in the extension, modernisation and digitalisation of water supply and sanitation infrastructure and to ensure compliance with Union wastewater treatment standards; calls for the 2026 budget to include targeted investment for climate adaptation measures and disaster prevention, especially in regions facing repeated floods, droughts, and other extreme weather events, while allowing Member States the flexibility to prioritise adaptation measures in line with national circumstances and needs;

12.Stresses the need for the 2026 Union budget to promote accessible, green public services, including sustainable housing, clean mobility and nature-based health infrastructure; underlines that investing in environmentally sustainable social services can simultaneously reduce emissions, improve health outcomes and address regional inequalities;

13. Underlines the continued relevance of the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) in advancing the Union’s environmental and climate objectives; notes the modest proposed 3,5% budget increase, particularly the targeted 6% rise for nature and biodiversity initiatives, and calls for a more ambitious funding expansion to safeguard biodiversity and accelerate sustainability efforts, also with a view to bridge the current funding gap with regards to reaching the biodiversity-relevant spending target of 10%; furthermore, calls on increased budgetary allocations for the sub-programme on circular economy and quality of life, to maximise the potential of circular economy actions, which remains largely underfinanced; recognises the importance of continued communication, visibility and transparency of projects under LIFE, to meet and accelerate environmental targets;

14. Encourages increased support in the 2026 budget for competitive, innovative, just and sustainable agriculture and food production, including for small and young farmers and fishers, notably to support them in meeting environmental and biodiversity objectives and targets; stresses the need for investment in farming technologies and techniques that preserve or enhance productivity while reducing resource dependency and meeting environmental and biodiversity targets, thereby safeguarding the resilience of European food systems under changing climatic conditions;

15. Highlights the critical role of the Just Transition Fund in supporting the regions and economic actors transitioning away from fossil dependency, particularly in terms of energy decarbonisation and industrial transformation; emphasises the importance of funding programmes that promote skills development ensuring that the green transition enhances social cohesion and reduces inequalities; regrets the 17,1% funding reduction, warning that it risks weakening assistance for these regions and sectors;

16. Welcomes the launch of the Social Climate Fund in 2026, recognising its potential in mitigating the social impact of the climate transition, and stresses its importance in ensuring fairness in climate policies, particularly for vulnerable communities; welcomes the Commission’s assistance to Member States in preparing Social Climate Plans, facilitating swift and effective implementation to maximize benefits for vulnerable groups; warns that the Social Climate Fund alone is unlikely to suffice to mitigate social impacts without targeted, adaptable measures to protect low-income households and citizens suffering from energy or transport poverty;

17. Welcomes the EUR 33,7 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 27 million in payment appropriations allocated to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in the 2026 Union budget, recognizing its crucial role in preventing carbon leakage, strengthening global climate ambition, and ensuring fair competition for Union industries, particularly SMEs;

18. Regrets the significant reductions in funding for RescEU, with commitment appropriations decreasing by 20.7% (EUR 43.7 million less than in 2025); stresses that the RescEU mechanism has so far proven to be an instrumental and successful Union instrument in responding to crisis situations; considers that this reduction is particularly concerning given the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events and natural disasters, requiring effective Union coordination and robust disaster response capacities across Member States; emphasises the need to significantly increase the funding of the Union's capacities to ensure effective disaster prevention, preparedness and rapid response capabilities and coordination and cross-border preparedness; highlights that investing in prevention and early detection protects lives and is more efficient than responding to crises;

19. Welcomes the budget increases for the European agencies under the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety’s remit, specifically the European Environment Agency (EEA), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), while ensuring that funds are used efficiently and deliver tangible results; recognizes their crucial role in shaping science-based Union policymaking and underscores the need for their resources to keep pace with the Union’s expanding environmental challenges;

20. Regrets that the budgetary means allocated to the EEA are inadequate with regards to its recruitment needs and to fully support its activities and to facilitate the work of the Member States;

21. Stresses the need for Union agencies, in addition to scientific expertise, to further strengthen their capacities for public communication and the fight against disinformation in the field of climate change, health and food safety, with the aim of increasing citizens’ trust and society’s resilience to manipulation and non-scientific narratives;

22. Regrets the reduction in Horizon Europe appropriations affecting environmental research and innovation; calls for the restoration of funding to levels that ensure that the union remains a region of research excellence; highlights the synergic potential of focussing research on technologies that enhance both environmental protection and industrial competitiveness, as reflected in the Draghi report;

23. Recalls the importance of reformed and sustainable Union own resources structures to ensure long-term budgetary stability and support for the Union’s climate and environmental goals; calls for the timely adoption and implementation of new own resources proposals to match the Union’s increasing financial needs;

24. Stresses the need to further develop and apply environmental and health impact assessment tools within the Union budget, ensuring that all 2026 spending lines contribute meaningfully to sustainability, pollution prevention, and climate resilience; calls for strengthened tracking and transparency mechanisms to measure the ecological effectiveness of Union investments.