Since September 2015, when the UN adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the EU has still not adopted a strategy to implement the Sustainable Development Agenda by 2030 and its 17 SDGs, but the European Commission intends to take some steps in this direction on Wednesday 30 January, before the European elections.
In the absence of a strategy, it is a joint Reflection paper entitled “Towards a sustainable Europe by 2030" that will be presented by the First Vice-President, Frans Timmermans, Head of the Sustainable Development team of Commissioners, and his colleague in Growth and Competitiveness, Jyrki Katainen. Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella announced this in New York last July at the UN High Level Policy Forum on the Implementation of the SDGs (see EUROPE 12066).
Based on the three pillars - economic, social and environmental - of sustainable development, this document is intended to ensure the follow-up of the SDGs while taking into account the Paris Climate Agreement.
The Commission refused to say more, simply stating that this document "will provide food for thought in line with the Agenda 2030 and the White Paper on the Future of Europe launched in March 2017" on reflections and scenarios for the EU-27 by 2025.
NGOs and the European Parliament have consistently called on the Commission for an ambitious strategy to translate the SDGs into all relevant EU policies (see EUROPE 11869, 11824). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)