2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Council approves conclusions reaffirming strong EU commitment
The Council yesterday (22 June 2021) approved conclusions reaffirming the EU’s strong commitment towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable development Goals (SDGs), which continue to guide the EU internally and externally to build back better and greener.
The Covid-19 impact
The Council recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic is threatening progress towards the SDGs and therefore calls for enhanced dialogue and concrete operational actions to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs.
The Council calls on the Commission to propose such actions in conjunction with the delivery of the Commission President’s headline ambitions “A European Green Deal”.
The Commission is also invited to engage in regular dialogue with the Council to further promote an integrated, strategic, ambitious and comprehensive approach to SDG implementation. This dialogue should take stock of progress made in the implementation of the SDGs at EU level in an integrated and coherent way and address strategic orientations.
The conclusions call on the Commission and EU member states to carry out communications and awareness-raising campaigns on the 2030 Agenda with a view to increasing shared ownership by the citizens, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders.
The Council remains committed towards reviewing progress towards achieving the 2030 Agenda and will step up efforts to mainstream the SDGs in its work across policy sectors.
