HDRI at the Annual EU Budget Conference 2026

Human Development Research Initiative (HDRI) took part in the Annual EU Budget Conference 2026, hosted by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Budget on 2 July in Brussels.

The conference brought together EU Commissioners, Heads of State, Members of the European Parliament, and leaders from institutions including the European Investment Bank, the World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to discuss how the EU budget can drive competitiveness, resilience, and global partnerships in the years ahead.

For a youth-led organisation working across environment, migration, global health, gender equity, and economic and social rights, sessions like the panel on building international partnerships through the EU budget spoke directly to the questions HDRI grapples with every day: how funding decisions made in Brussels translate into real outcomes for young people and communities across the EU and beyond.

Conversations like these matter to us — not just as policy debates, but as spaces where civil society voices, including young people's, need a seat at the table when priorities and budgets are shaped.

Curious about our work across all 27 EU Member States? Learn more at https://www.hdevri.org/ 🌍

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