Council of the EU reaches partial agreement on European Competitiveness Fund

The EU’s Council of Ministers has reached a partial agreement on its negotiating position for the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), clearing the way to the start of negotiations with MEPs on an important part of the Union’s 2028-2034 budget.

The ECF, which will have a budget of up to €434 billion, includes the Union’s Horizon Europe research programme. The deal reached on 16/06/2026 by the Council covers the rules and procedures governing the ECF and, in particular, how it is coordinated with Horizon Europe.

According to a statement by the Council, the agreement covers a single rulebook and application gateway.

It does not, at this stage, include the total budget for either the ECF or Horizon Europe as this remains to be agreed by EU leaders, probably at the end of the year.

The ECF aims to consolidate 14 existing instruments into a single framework, simplifying EU funding and attracting private investment to boost the EU’s competitiveness. It focuses on four key policy areas: clean transition and industrial decarbonisation, health, biotech, agriculture and bioeconomy, digital…