Renew MEP Sandro Gozi has submitted a written parliamentary question to the European Commission seeking clarity on the use of Horizon Europe funds for the 2014-2020 programming period in the EU's outermost regions. The question, filed on 15 April 2026, targets potential decommitments or unused amounts under the European Social Fund (ESF), European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
The MEP's query comes after the closure of accounting records for these programmes on 31 December 2025, with programmes themselves ending on 31 December 2023. Gozi asks the Commission to specify, for each outermost region, what amounts were decommitted or left unused.
Policy orientation and ambition Gozi's question signals a push for transparency and accountability in EU spending, particularly in regions that face structural disadvantages. The outermost regions – such as Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion, Saint-Martin, the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands – are often prioritised for cohesion funding, but the MEP wants to ensure that allocated Horizon Europe funds were actually absorbed.
Expected follow-up The Commission is required to respond within approximately six weeks. Its answer will reveal whether significant sums were returned to the EU budget or remained unspent, potentially indicating absorption capacity issues or administrative bottlenecks. This could inform future programming and oversight measures for the outermost regions.
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