Microfinance Advocacy Committee Sets Its Course for 2026–2028

On 16 September 2026, the Microfinance Advocacy Committee (MAC), run jointly by the Microfinance Centre and the European Microfinance Network, held its second meeting online. Building on the kick-off meeting, this session focused on two key items: the Committee’s roadmap for the next three years and a new paper on the EU financing gap for microfinance, developed by the MFC team.

A roadmap for the next three years

MAC members and experts discussed the eleven priorities and planned activities set out in the roadmap proposed by the EMN and MFC teams.

With the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework on the horizon, members agreed to make funding for the sector the top priority on the Committee’s agenda. Securing adequate and continued financial support at EU level will be essential if microfinance providers are to keep reaching the entrepreneurs and households that mainstream finance leaves behind.

Beyond funding, the roadmap covers a broad set of priorities: the recognition and visibility of microfinance; support for vulnerable target groups; impact measurement and reporting; the revised European Code of Good Conduct for Microcredit Provision; financial literacy and financial health; digital transformation and AI; the green transition and climate resilience; access to housing and home improvement finance; non-financial services and ecosystem partnerships; and a country and regional focus, including the Western Balkans and Ukraine.

Together, these priorities reflect both the long-standing mission of the sector and the new challenges it faces, from technological change to climate risk and the needs of communities affected by war.

Putting numbers on the financing gap

In the second part of the meeting, the MFC team presented its new study on the financing gap for microfinance in the European Union.

The study estimates that 2.3 million current and potential microenterprises across the EU need access to microcredit, amounting to €16.5 billion in unmet demand. Despite growth in the sector, demand continues to outpace supply, leaving many entrepreneurs without the financing they need to start, sustain or grow their businesses.

Members welcomed the report as a practical tool for discussions with policymakers, providing up-to-date EU-wide and country-level evidence to support the case for stronger investment in microfinance, particularly in the context of the upcoming negotiations on the next EU budget.

The full report is available on the MFC website: 2.3 Million Businesses Left Behind, €16.5 Billion Missing

Next steps

The next meeting of the Microfinance Advocacy Committee will take place in Barcelona on 14 October 2026 in a hybrid format, ahead of EMN’s annual conference. The discussion will focus on the future of funding for the sector and on impact measurement, two of the Committee’s key priorities for the years ahead.