The European Parliament made recommendations on Thursday 14 March in Strasbourg to accelerate the implementation of the Universal Agenda for Sustainable Development by 2030 and its 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) by the EU and its Member States, with the aim of tackling poverty, inequality and climate change.
By adopting a non-binding resolution on the annual report on the implementation of the SDGs, it endorsed, by a large majority – (296 votes in favour, 33 against, 20 abstentions) – the recommendations of Cypriot Eleni Theocharous (ECR) and Francesc Gambús (EPP) from Spain (see EUROPE 12194/14).
Parliament is advocating a 'multi-governance' approach to include civil society and the private sector, with a mechanism for the ongoing monitoring of national strategies and accountability. It believes that in view of the UN High Level Forum, which will review progress, the EU should demonstrate that those mechanisms that are in place are useful for achieving better integration of the SDGs alongside efforts made by Member States, and that third countries should be encouraged to do the same.
In response to the European Commission's ideas on ‘Sustainable Europe by 2030’, MEPs are calling for the EU to adopt a genuine strategy that will allow SDGs to be adopted across the board in all EU policies and activities, with a focus on education and economic and social cohesion.
“We have to help set the EU on track for an all-encompassing strategy to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and become a global frontrunner together with our Member States. To do this we need to have better integration across policies areas and design mechanisms to review progress and identify any issues with implementation otherwise resources will not be used effectively”, summarised Ms. Theocharous, before the vote. Mr. Gambús is of the opinion that we must "use the SDGs to reinvent ourselves without creating new structures. It is a question of a change in mentality to improve the redistribution of wealth, to strengthen and improve the EU's social market economy by creating paid jobs, and having companies in Europe offering new, high value-added jobs." (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)