On Thursday 9 October, the Commission published new guidelines to help EU Member States effectively implement the Social Climate Fund (SCF) and finalise their Social Climate Plans (SCPs).
Scheduled for 2026, the SCF was created to support vulnerable households and small businesses and cushion the social costs of the new Emissions Trading Scheme for fuel use in buildings, road transport and additional sectors (ETS-2) (see EUROPE 13403/16, 13169/41).
This document sets out a series of principles, in particular for access to funding: predictability (social climate plans set a payment amount for each measure and investment. Payments will be made once milestones and targets have been reached); performance-based payments; streamlined designation of authorities; inclusive governance; transparency and accountability (Member States and the Commission will use a single digital system to monitor and report on all measures, investments and beneficiaries); protection of the EU’s financial interests.
The Commission must approve these national plans in advance. Once validated, Member States will be able to submit their first payment claim to the Commission from 31 July 2026; €65 billion will be allocated under the SCF for the period from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2032. With a compulsory contribution from Member States representing at least 25% of the total estimated cost of their support programmes, the SCF will amount to at least €86.7 billion.
Link to guidelines: https://aeur.eu/f/ium (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)