In brief
European Commissioner Piotr Serafin will spend two days in Bulgaria to discuss the next Multiannual Financial Framework and meet with government officials, municipalities and research institutions. The trip includes a conference in Sofia and visits to STEM and space‑tech centres, revealing a focus on simplifying EU funding procedures and boosting transparency.
European Commissioner for Budget, Anti‑Fraud and Public Administration Piotr Serafin will be in Sofia on 29 and 30 October to talk with Bulgarian officials about the next €€ EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and to examine how EU funds are implemented on the ground. The tour, announced by the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria and reported by BTA, is part of Serafin’s European tour to consult Member States on the bloc’s 2028‑2034 budget.
During the week‑long visit, Serafin will meet with Prime Minister Rumen Radev, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev, and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov, the official responsible for EU‑funded projects in Bulgaria. The conversations will focus on prioritising spending, aligning national budgets with EU objectives and ensuring efficient use of the Recovery and Resilience Plan resources.
Serafin will launch a conference in Sofia titled “The Next Multiannual Financial Framework: Priorities and Principles.” The event is jointly organised by the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Bulgaria and the Sofia office of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Delegates will discuss the direction of the 2028‑2034 MFF, the need to simplify complex funding procedures and how to better integrate national and regional partnership programmes.
On Friday, the commissioner is scheduled to speak with members of the National Association of the Municipalities, a group that represents Bulgaria’s local governments. The dialogue will explore how the neighbourhood and regional partnership plans within the MFF can be tailored to municipal needs and how to reduce administrative burdens that municipalities face when applying for EU funds.
Following the municipal meeting, Serafin will visit the National STEM Centre in Sofia Tech Park. The centre, managed by the Ministry of Education and Science and co‑funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan, is a hub for science, technology, engineering and mathematics research. Serafin will meet with centre officials to assess how European funding has been allocated to STEM initiatives and how these could be expanded under the upcoming MFF.
The commissioner will also tour the laboratory and mission‑control room of EnduroSat, a Bulgarian satellite manufacturer and space‑service provider that benefits from funding through the European Innovation Council. The visit aims to show how EU investment in space technology has fostered innovation in Bulgaria and to discuss further opportunities for EU‑led research collaboration in the sector.
Serafin, who has travelled to 22 EU countries this mandate, has gathered stakeholder input that is shaping the proposal for the next MFF. A recurring theme in these dialogues has been the urgent need to simplify funding procedures, reduce overlapping regulations and improve transparency. Stakeholders emphasise that creating a more user‑friendly environment for applicants would encourage a greater uptake of EU funds and lead to a better alignment of national projects with EU priorities.
While the itinerary outlines a comprehensive engagement with government officials and research institutions, questions remain about how the simplified procedures will be operationalised at the national level. Bulgarian officials have stressed the necessity of ensuring that new rules remain flexible enough to accommodate diverse local contexts. The Commissioner’s upcoming work on the 2028‑2034 MFF will need to balance these administrative reforms with the demand for impactful investment across the continent.
As the EU moves toward its forthcoming budget plan, Bulgaria’s engagement with Commissioner Serafin will likely provide a case study of how member states can use the MFF to strengthen national priorities while adhering to EU governance principles.
