The European Commission is committed to the 2030 Agenda. Under the leadership of President von der Leyen, the Commission is implementing an ambitious policy programme to deliver on sustainability in the EU and beyond.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an intrinsic part of the President’s political guidelines and lie at the heart of the policymaking on internal and external action across all sectors.
Full implementation of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda is crucial to strengthen resilience and prepare the world for future shocks as we embark on the twin green and digital transitions.
The Commission’s holistic approach for sustainability and the SDGs
The Commission has focused on delivering concrete actions that will bring tangible progress in the areas of the SDGs. The President’s political guidelines and the Commission’s annual work programmes constitute this Commission’s strategy to implement the SDGs.
The President’s political programme integrates the SDGs into all Commission proposals, policies and strategies. All of the 17 SDGs feature in one or more of the six headline ambitions announced in President von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines as depicted in the figure below:
The Commission’s ‘Whole-of-Government approach’ to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals
The Commission’s comprehensive or “whole of government” approach to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) comprises several strands.
Working together towards the SDGs
Delivering on the SDGs is not only a matter for public authorities: it also requires the full participation of civil society and the private sector. Effective SDGs implementation requires cooperation with citizens, national, regional, and local authorities, media, civil society organisations, the private sector, and stakeholders on the ground.
In addition, EU institutions work closely together to implement SDGs more efficiently . Member States have the primary responsibility for ensuring sustainable development at the national, regional, and local levels. This includes taking steps to integrate the SDGs into national policies and allocating resources to support their achievement. Member States report regularly on their progress towards the SDGs through their respective Voluntary National Reviews. Moreover, many local and regional authorities are increasingly engaging through voluntary local reviews, which help foster the delivery of SDGs close to citizens and often contain tangible commitments in support of the 2030 Agenda.