EESC President

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) delegation, led by President Oliver Röpke, is participating in the 2025 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York, bringing the voice of EU civil society to the global debate on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The delegation includes Peter Schmidt, Stoyan Tchoukanov, Maria Nikolopoulou and Josep Puxeu Rocamora. Together, they are engaging with UN officials, EU representatives, and international partners to call for stronger EU leadership and accountability in implementing the 2030 Agenda.

As a long-standing advocate for structured civil society participation and inclusive multilateralism, the EESC warns that the EU must urgently step up its leadership on sustainable development. While progress was made at the recent Financing for Development Conference (FFD4) in Seville, the EESC stresses that the pace of SDG implementation remains too slow, with only 17% of targets globally on track.

President Röpke stated: “The political visibility of the SDGs is declining, including in the EU. The absence of an EU Commissioner at this year’s HLPF sends a worrying signal that the 2030 Agenda is slipping down the political priority list. The EU must lead by example; with real financing, a new social contract, and meaningful civil society participation. The time for words is over. We need action.”

Calls to Action

• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) – under review this year – is a catalyst for achieving other SDGs, from poverty reduction to climate action.
• The EESC backs the call for a new social contract, centred on decent work, social protection, and fair transitions.
• The EU must mainstream the SDGs across all policies and financing instruments, aligning its economic and climate strategies with sustainability goals.

The EESC also underlined the outcomes of FFD4 (“El compromiso de Sevilla”), welcoming commitments to reform the global financial architecture and address sovereign debt, while warning that civil society continues to have limited influence in these processes.

As the HLPF marks the final stretch to 2030, the EESC delegation will continue pushing for ambitious financing, stronger global partnerships, and systemic reforms to ensure no one is left behind.