The EU long-term budget must prioritize rural revitalization by supporting social enterprises in primary production, ensuring economic resilience, sustainability, and job creation. Rural areas face depopulation, economic decline, and limited opportunities, despite being key to food security and the green transition. Social enterprises can bridge the gap by fostering local production, circular economy models, and community-based innovation.

However, bureaucratic burdens, limited access to funding and complex funding mechanisms hinder social enterprises from accessing EU funds. The next EU budget must:
- Simplify administrative procedures for social economy entities and their representative organisations in CAP, ESF+ and Cohesion Fund allocations.
- Ensure a fair share of EU funding reaches small producers, cooperatives, and rural social enterprises, reducing dependence on large agribusinesses.
- Promote Socially Responsible Public Procurement (SRPP) for food, energy, and rural services.
- Support digitalization and training to modernize rural social economy initiatives, also through funding programs for up-skilling and re-skilling workers.
- Exclude social enterprises in the fishery and aquaculture sector and the primary agricultural production sector from the GBER.

By prioritizing social economy-driven rural development, the EU budget can boost economic inclusion, food security, and environmental sustainability, making every euro count for European citizens.