If you have ever submitted an application for a centrally managed EU funding call — for example under Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, LIFE, Creative Europe or Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programmes — you have almost certainly dealt with one of the EU’s executive agencies. These bodies manage calls for proposals, agreements, payments and reporting on behalf of the European Commission.
At the end of October 2025, the European Commission launched a public consultation to assess the performance of six EU Executive Agencies (EAs) over the 2021–2024 period.
Which agencies are under review?
The evaluation covers the following six bodies:
- CINEA – European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
- EACEA – European Education and Culture Executive Agency
- EISMEA – European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency
- ERCEA – European Research Council Executive Agency
- HaDEA – European Health and Digital Executive Agency
- REA – European Research Executive Agency
These agencies are responsible for the technical and administrative implementation of major EU programmes, allowing the Commission to concentrate its resources on policy-making and strategic oversight.
What is the consultation about?
Under the Commission’s Better Regulation framework, the evaluation aims to determine whether:
- the agencies have fulfilled their tasks effectively and efficiently;
- there are overlaps or gaps in the way programmes are managed;
- the division of responsibilities between the Commission’s Directorates-General and the agencies is sufficiently clear; and
- delegating implementation to the agencies has proven more cost-effective than keeping these functions in-house.
The findings will help inform decisions related to the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034), particularly regarding simplification and faster procedures for applicants and beneficiaries.
How to take part
Stakeholders — including applicants, beneficiaries, national authorities, experts and civil society organisations — are invited to share their feedback by completing the online questionnaire available on the European Commission’s website. The consultation remains open until 26 November 2025.
A comprehensive evaluation report, including a public summary of the results, will be published once the process concludes later in 2025.
Why this consultation matters
This exercise offers a valuable opportunity for everyone involved in EU-funded programmes to share practical experiences about how the system works in reality. The executive agencies play a crucial role in translating EU policies into tangible results — from research and innovation to climate action and education.
By contributing to this consultation, organisations can help shape how future EU funds are managed: making procedures more transparent, decisions quicker, and services more responsive to applicants’ needs.
For civil society, universities, businesses and public bodies across Europe, participation in this process is not only a right but also a chance to influence the future governance of EU funding — and to ensure that the next generation of programmes truly serves European citizens.
