The EU aims to become a trailblazer for sustainable development.

The Council today adopted a set of conclusions on the implementation by the EU of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They are considered essential for ending poverty and ensuring a peaceful, healthy and secure life for current and future generations.

The conclusions stress the need to accelerate action both within the EU and in other parts of the world in order to fulfil the vision and goals of the 2030 Agenda. They reaffirm that the EU and its member states will continue to play a leading role in implementing the SDGs while supporting effective multilateralism and a rules-based international order.

The Council welcomes the 2019 edition of Eurostat's 'Monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context' as a key document for measuring the EU's progress towards the achievement of the SDGs. It also encourages member states to raise the level of ambition of their national responses and to proactively mainstream the 2030 agenda into national planning instruments, policies, strategies and financial frameworks.

The Council recalls its conclusions from June 2017 and urges the Commission to elaborate a comprehensive implementation strategy outlining timelines, objectives and concrete measures to reflect the 2030 Agenda and to mainstream the SDGs in all relevant EU internal and external policies.