Supporting a just transition to climate neutrality through the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP)

The European Union’s next long-term budget, the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), marks a fundamental change in how EU funds are managed and accessed. Cohesion policy funds, which have so far played a crucial role in driving a just transition to climate neutrality, will be merged with other EU funding streams —including agriculture and migration—into a single, centralised fund: the National and Regional Partnership Plan (NRPP) Fund. This new fund will constitute the main source of financing for climate and just transition objectives. However, its centralised approach and wide range of priorities raise serious doubts about whether it can adequately support the EU’s climate goals.

The report highlights a critical shortfall: under the current proposal, the NRPP Fund would result in a reduction of funding available for climate action and just transition initiatives. To address this, the report sets out ten practical recommendations to ensure that the NRPP regulation aligns with EU climate and energy targets and fulfils the Commission’s commitment to substantially increase just transition funding in the new Budget.