Learning from 2024, anticipating 2025: core EU funding at country level

As 2024 comes to a close, the EU and Member States find themselves at a pivotal moment in their financial and policy landscape. With over €1 trillion set to be spent by 2029 through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and Cohesion Policy, 2025 is shaping up to be a decisive year. These instruments, vital to the current economic context and long-term regional development, are driving significant opportunities for Member States and stakeholders across Europe.

In this article, we take stock the key milestones of 2024 and look ahead at the trends and priorities that will define 2025.

RRF: 'Use it or lose it'

The timeline is tight: all RRF-funded projects must be completed by August 2026. For public and private entities involved in these initiatives, 2025 is a now-or-never moment to deliver on the Recovery Plans and maximise their use of funding before the window closes.

2024 saw a strong acceleration in RRF implementation, but by November, less than 50% of the allocated budgets had been transferred from the European Commission to Member States, as Member States are slow in reaching their funding milestones. Given these strict milestones and the targets governing funding transfers, 2025 will be critical for Member States to secure the remaining funds.

Cohesion Policy: a growing wave of opportunities

2025 will be pivotal in allocating these budgets to concrete projects. Governments across the EU are expected to ramp up calls for proposals, creating robust pipelines for investments in sectors ranging from infrastructure to green technology and digital transformation.

What this means for you: 

With calls for proposals and tenders set to continue throughout 2025, public and private entities seeking to secure funding must act now to ensure their innovative project proposals are well aligned and competitive.

Preparing for MFF 2028-2034

While 2025 will be a year of execution for current funding streams, it will also mark the beginning of negotiations for the EU's next long-term budget cycle: the 2028-2034 Multi-Annual Financial Framework, or MFF.

The European Commission is expected to unveil its proposal mid-year, signaling a strategic shift toward aligning budgets with new EU priorities. The approach will be different, this cycle, suggesting that each Member State could adopt a tailored Single Funding Plan, linking essential reforms with focused investments in a smaller number of high-impact sectors. Governments are already engaging with stakeholders to shape their positions and streamline systems for accessing funds.

How to prepare for the future

Collaborating with policymakers and experts is essential in order to contribute to the definition of future funding priorities and ensure readiness for the next wave of EU 2028-2034 funding.

2025: a high-stakes window of opportunity