Where the law stands, Dossier 2025/0398(NLE)
On the adoption of the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel, on the multiannual technical guidelines for this programme, on the multiannual financial guidelines for managing the assets of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel, and repealing Decisions 2003/77/EC and 2008/376/EC
Non-legislative procedure (NLE): for example international agreements, appointments or opinions. · Parliament gives its opinion on a proposal. The Council decides, but must wait for Parliament’s opinion.
Parliament is consulted: it gives an opinion and can propose amendments, but the Council takes the decision and need not follow them.
Where it stands
Plenary vote
Parliament gave its opinion on 19 May 2026. The Council takes the final decision.
- Referred to committee(done) 9 March 2026
- Committee work(done) Report adopted 6 May 2026
- Tabled for plenary(done) 7 May 2026
- Plenary vote(done) Adopted 19 May 2026
- Adopted by the Council(to come)
Decided in plenary
19 May 2026 · decision 3
EU budget & funds, New EU law
Research Fund for Coal and Steel: research programme and multiannual technical and financial guidelines
Passed 537 for · 17 against · 83 abstained by an overwhelming majority
AI summary:The decision updates the fund's rules, including a final phase with an increased annual budget to support research calls from 2027 until 2034.
What changed
Latest Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament
No change of substance: the two versions differ only in presentation — cover page, numbering or the parts a report carries that the adopted text does not.
Committee draft → Tabled for plenary
AI summary:Adds conditions to Parliament's support for the RFCS final phase, requiring optimized capital disbursement and targeted funding for breakthrough technologies in vulnerable regions. Adds a rejection of concentrating research resources in established hubs, emphasizing geographical inclusivity for competitiveness and cohesion. The other change is wording: removes "European" before "Commission".
Who works on it
- Lead committee
- Industry, Research and Energy
- The MEP who drafts the report and negotiates it on behalf of the committee.
- Borys Budka (EPP)
- An MEP who follows a report on behalf of their own group when another group holds the rapporteur.
- Paulo Cunha (EPP), Jens Geier (S&D), Paolo Borchia (Patriots), Elena Donazzan (ECR), Sophie Wilmès (Renew), Ville Niinistö (Greens)
The text, version by version
Newest first.
Adopted by Parliament· 19 May 2026
AI summary:Parliament approves the Council draft on the Research Fund for Coal and Steel, covering its research programme and multiannual technical and financial guidelines, and repealing Decisions 2003/77/EC and 2008/376/EC.
Tabled for plenary· 7 May 2026
AI summary:Parliament approves the Council draft decision on the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel, including technical and financial guidelines, and repealing Decisions 2003/77/EC and 2008/376/EC.
Committee draft· 16 Mar 2026
AI summary:The draft resolution approves the Council draft on the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) research programme and its guidelines, with conditions on capital disbursement and alignment with Horizon Europe.
Timeline
Newest first.
Plenary stage 3 steps
19 May 2026
Plenary vote
Sitting of 19 May 2026 Adopted text TA10-0172/2026Report A10-0130/2026
18 May 2026
Debated in plenary
MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.
Sitting of 18 May 2026 Council / Commission text C10-0063/2026Report A10-0130/2026
7 May 2026
Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
Committee stage 4 steps
6 May 2026
Committee vote: report adopted
ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
14 April 2026
Amendments tabled in committee
Members of ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) proposed changes to the draft.
16 March 2026
Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
9 March 2026
Referred to the ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) committee
The lead committee prepares Parliament’s report.
Official record: Legislative Observatory, 2025/0398(NLE)