Sustainable development: a mapping of the EU's internal and external policies
(exploratory opinion requested by the European Commission)

Key points

• The UN 2030 Agenda should be turned into a proactive, transformational and positive narrative for Europe. This forward-looking narrative would also help overcome the unprecedented lack of trust of EU citizens in the EU project and in particular win young people's support for it. The EU should use the UN 2030 Agenda in this way to present EU citizens with a new vision for Europe: the social contract of the 21st century.
• The Committee calls for an overarching and integrated strategy for a Sustainable Europe 2030 and beyond, providing the necessary long-term time horizon, policy coordination and coherence for implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda. This strategy must include specific targets for SDG implementation, review and monitoring mechanisms, as well as action plans with the necessary legislative and policy instruments, awareness-raising activities and a plan for mobilising financial resources. The design phase of the strategy should provide for broad consultation of civil society, governments, parliaments and local authorities.

The EESC has identified the following key policy areas for transformational change towards sustainable development and recommends that the Commission establish appropriate flagship initiatives:

• a just transition to a low-carbon, circular and collaborative economy;
• transition towards a socially inclusive society and economy – decent work and human rights;
• transition to sustainable food production and consumption;
• investing in innovation and long-term infrastructure modernisation and encouraging sustainable businesses;
• making trade work for global sustainable development.

The EU should move to a multi-stakeholder-led approach in SDG implementation, by including all actors and civil society organisations based on the principles of participation, accountability and partnership. The EESC itself has already presented a specific initiative for the multi-stakeholder European Sustainable Development Civil Society Forum.

Relevant EESC opinions

• NAT/594 - Establishing sustainable development goals – European civil society's contribution to the EU position (exploratory opinion), Rapporteur: Le Noail Marliere
• REX/372 - A Decent Life for All: Ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future, Rapporteur: Pichenot
• NAT/678 - A European Sustainable Development Civil Society Forum, Rapporteur: King
• REX/461 - The 2030 Agenda - European Union committed to sustainable development goals globally, Rapporteur: Vardakastanis

Related links and documents

• Niestroy (2016): How are we getting ready? The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the EU and its Member States: analyses and action so far. Discussion paper, German Development Institute (DIE)
• Kroll, SDGs: Are rich countries ready?, Bertelsmann (2015)
• How to make SDGs Europe’s Business, A Multi-Stakeholder Approach, summary of the conference on 30/31 May 2016, co-organised by the EESC, the Dutch Presidency, the SDSN and the Dutch Charter for the Goals
• Resolution of the European Parliament on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda, 12/05/2016
• Study by Stakeholder Forum for the European Economic and Social Committee, Building the Europe We Want: Models for civil society involvement in the implementation of the Post-2015 agenda at the EU level (2015)
• Report of the Secretary-General of the UN, Mr Ban Ki-Moon: Critical milestones towards a coherent, efficient, and inclusive follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda at the global level (15 January 2016)
• UN portal on 2030 Agenda