MEP Pascal Arimont (PPE) has asked the European Commission to clarify how sustainable timber construction projects will be funded under the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework (MFF), warning that the proposed new funding architecture could disrupt successful co-financing models that benefit rural areas, SMEs, and forestry companies.
In a written parliamentary question submitted on 17 June 2026, Arimont noted that EU-funded timber-based residential projects create regional added value, promote sustainable forest management, and contribute to decarbonising the construction sector. He asked the Commission to identify which funding instruments under the next MFF will support such projects, particularly in rural areas, and to explain how it will ensure that successful models from the current MFF remain accessible to local actors, municipalities, SMEs, and forestry companies. He also asked whether the Commission plans to issue specific guidelines to promote sustainable timber construction as part of European construction culture.
The question reflects concern among some MEPs that the Commission's proposed MFF restructuring may deprioritise sector-specific co-financing schemes in favour of broader, less targeted instruments. Arimont's questions seek concrete commitments on instrument designation, continuity of access, and policy guidance.
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it intends to maintain dedicated support for timber construction or fold it into general rural development or climate funds, with implications for the construction and forestry sectors, rural communities, and EU climate goals.