Engaging with National and Regional Voices on the Future EU Budget
From high-level political discussions in Paris to on-site visits with stakeholders in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, during his visit Commissioner Serafin highlighted the importance of national and regional engagement in shaping the next EU long-term budget. The visit to France will be the occasion to discover more about how EU funding supports innovation, agriculture, and cultural heritage, bringing tangible benefits to citizens across France.
STOP 1: Bringing National and Local Priorities to the EU Budget Table (22 May)
Commissioner Serafin’s Tour d’Europe in France began in Paris, where he met Anne Hidalgo, the city’s Mayor. This meeting was a valuable moment to reflect on the critical role that cities and regions play in shaping the EU’s long-term budget. Next on the agenda, Commissioner Serafin was received by Amélie de Montchalin, Minister Delegate for the Budget and the Public Accounts, and met representatives of the Assemblée nationale and the French Senate in the French Parliament, specifically those in charge of European affairs and part of the Finance committees. These meetings provided a timely occasion to engage in meaningful exchanges on France’s priorities and expectations for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
The combination of these meetings represented an excellent summary of what the Tour d’Europe of Commissioner Serafin has been so far: both perspectives, the local one and the national one, are crucial in the construction of the next long-term EU Budget.
STOP 2: From Innovation to Tradition: EU Investment in Action (23 May)
After a day of meetings in the capital city of France, Commissioner Serafin travelled to the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, in the departments of Doubs and Jura. There, he met with Benjamin Haddad, Minister Delegate to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. After that, he met elected officials of the Doubs department. Together, they visited iXblue, an EU-funded project and leader in advanced navigation, imaging, and positioning technologies for naval and autonomous marine applications. Engaging directly with innovative companies like iXblue enables the Commissioner to better understand how EU funding translates into technological excellence, competitiveness, and strategic autonomy — all key pillars of the EU’s long-term investment priorities.
In the afternoon, Commissioner Serafin visited the “Maison du Comté” in the company of Minister Haddad and Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard.
Located in the heart of the Jura region of France, the Maison du Comté is a museum and visitor centre dedicated to showcasing the history, production methods, and cultural significance of Comté cheese — a symbol of local heritage and an example of rural development supported by the EU budget.
The mission ended with a visit to a local dairy farm, where Commissioner Serafin met with farmers to hear their perspectives on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy. This exchange offered a valuable channel to better understand the evolving needs of Europe’s agricultural communities and how the EU budget can continue to support them in a sustainable way.