The European Parliament on 18 May 2026 debated the Budka report on the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) research programme and its multiannual technical and financial guidelines. Rapporteur Borys Budka (EPP) stressed the fund's uniqueness and called for it to remain within the EU budget during the energy transition, with increased funding of €120 million annually until 2038. He insisted that money must go to regions undergoing transformation, like his Silesia constituency, and be industry-led, not spent in large academic centres. He also urged the Commission to present a follow-up plan before the fund expires.
Cristian Terheș (ECR) criticised the Commission for destroying the coal and steel project under the guise of ecology, warning of deindustrialisation and loss of strategic autonomy. Kateřina Konečná (The Left) welcomed conditions for regional targeting but argued that without changes to emission permit and energy prices, even this funding cannot save the sectors. Sebastian Tynkkynen (PfE) accused politicians of using the fund's wealth for ideological goals while letting industry die, calling it theft.
EU Research Commissioner Ekaterina Zakharieva thanked Parliament for swift work, highlighting continuity of funding beyond 2027, simplification aligning with Horizon Europe rates to boost SME participation, and opening the fund to dual-use research with security safeguards, stressing geopolitical relevance for defence. The vote is scheduled for the following day.
Coal and steel regions would benefit from targeted funding, but industry faces uncertainty if emission costs remain high. SMEs could gain from simplified rules, while research institutions may see increased dual-use opportunities. The debate exposed a cleavage between those prioritising industrial survival and strategic autonomy (ECR, PfE) and those supporting a managed transition with EU budget integration (EPP, Commission).