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DG I EN
COUNCIL OF
THE EUROPEAN UNION
Brussels, 9 June 2006
10117/06
ENV 335
AGRI 205
COMPET 156
ECO 111
ECOFIN 203
ENER 184
DEVGEN 163
MI 131
PECHE 186
RELEX 384
SAN 166
SOC 298
TRANS 157
RECH 155
POLGEN 75
EDUC 133
NOTE
from : General Secretariat
to : Delegations
No. prev. doc.: 9956/06 ENV 323 AGRI 194 COMPET 150 ECO 103 ECOFIN 192 ENER 174
DEVGEN 156 MI 127 PECHE 181 RELEX 369 SAN 163 SOC 291 TRANS 148
RECH 149 POLGEN 72 EDUC 130
No. Cion doc.: 15796/1/05 ENV 601 AGRI 355 ECO 159 ECOFIN 412 ENER 203 DEVGEN
254 MI 143 PECHE 285 RELEX 766 SAN 217 SOC 516 TRANS 285 RECH 242
EDUC 196 REV 1
Subject : Review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS)
− Renewed Strategy
Delegations will find in the Annex to this note the final text of the renewed EU Sustainable
Development Strategy (EU SDS).
___________________
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ANNEX
RENEWED EU SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
1. Sustainable development means that the needs of the present generation should be met
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is an
overarching objective of the European Union set out in the Treaty, governing all the Union’s
policies and activities. It is about safeguarding the earth's capacity to support life in all its
diversity and is based on the principles of democracy, gender equality, solidarity, the rule of
law and respect for fundamental rights, including freedom and equal opportunities for all. It
aims at the continuous improvement of the quality of life and well-being on Earth for present
and future generations. To that end it promotes a dynamic economy with full employment and
a high level of education, health protection, social and territorial cohesion and environmental
protection in a peaceful and secure world, respecting cultural diversity.
2. The European Council in Göteborg (2001) adopted the first EU Sustainable Development
Strategy (SDS). This was complemented by an external dimension in 2002 by the European
Council in Barcelona in view of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in
Johannesburg (2002). However, unsustainable trends in relation to climate change and energy
use, threats to public health, poverty and social exclusion, demographic pressure and ageing,
management of natural resources, biodiversity loss, land use and transport still persist and
new challenges are arising. Since these negative trends bring about a sense of urgency, shortterm
action is required, whilst maintaining a longer term perspective. The main challenge is to
gradually change our current unsustainable consumption and production patterns and the nonintegrated
approach to policy-making.
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3. Against this background, in conclusion of the review of the EU SDS launched by the
Commission in 2004 and on the basis of the Commission Communication “On the review of
the Sustainable Development Strategy – A platform for action” from December 2005 as well
as contributions from the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and
Social Committee and others, the European Council has adopted an ambitious and
comprehensive renewed SDS for an enlarged EU, building on the one adopted in 2001.
4. This document sets out a single, coherent strategy on how the EU will more effectively live
up to its long-standing commitment to meet the challenges of sustainable development. It
reaffirms the need for global solidarity and recognises the importance of strengthening our
work with partners outside the EU, including those rapidly developing countries which will
have a significant impact on global sustainable development.
5. The overall aim of the renewed EU SDS is to identify and develop actions to enable the EU to
achieve continuous improvement of quality of life both for current and for future generations,
through the creation of sustainable communities able to manage and use resources efficiently
and to tap the ecological and social innovation potential of the economy, ensuring prosperity,
environmental protection and social cohesion.
6. To serve as a basis for this renewed strategy, the European Council in June 2005 approved a
declaration with the following objectives and principles:
KEY OBJECTIVES
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Safeguard the earth's capacity to support life in all its diversity, respect the limits of the
planet's natural resources and ensure a high level of protection and improvement of the quality
of the environment. Prevent and reduce environmental pollution and promote sustainable
consumption and production to break the link between economic growth and environmental
degradation.
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SOCIAL EQUITY AND COHESION
Promote a democratic, socially inclusive, cohesive, healthy, safe and just society with respect
for fundamental rights and cultural diversity that creates equal opportunities and combats
discrimination in all its forms.
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
Promote a prosperous, innovative, knowledge-rich, competitive and eco-efficient economy
which provides high living standards and full and high-quality employment throughout the
European Union.
MEETING OUR INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Encourage the establishment and defend the stability of democratic institutions across the
world, based on peace, security and freedom. Actively promote sustainable development
worldwide and ensure that the European Union’s internal and external policies are consistent
with global sustainable development and its international commitments.
POLICY GUIDING PRINCIPLES
PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
Place human beings at the centre of the European Union’s policies, by promoting fundamental
rights, by combating all forms of discrimination and contributing to the reduction of poverty
and the elimination of social exclusion worldwide.
SOLIDARITY WITHIN AND BETWEEN GENERATIONS
Address the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their needs in the European Union and elsewhere.
OPEN AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY
Guarantee citizens’ rights of access to information and ensure access to justice. Develop
adequate consultation and participatory channels for all interested parties and associations.
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INVOLVEMENT OF CITIZENS
Enhance the participation of citizens in decision-making. Promote education and public
awareness of sustainable development. Inform citizens about their impact on the environment
and their options for making more sustainable choices.
INVOLVEMENT OF BUSINESSES AND SOCIAL PARTNERS
Enhance the social dialogue, corporate social responsibility and private-public partnerships to
foster cooperation and common responsibilities to achieve sustainable consumption and
production.
POLICY COHERENCE AND GOVERNANCE
Promote coherence between all European Union policies and coherence between local,
regional, national and global actions in order to enhance their contribution to sustainable
development.
POLICY INTEGRATION
Promote integration of economic, social and environmental considerations so that they are
coherent and mutually reinforce each other by making full use of instruments for better
regulation, such as balanced impact assessment and stakeholder consultations.
USE BEST AVAILABLE KNOWLEDGE
Ensure that policies are developed, assessed and implemented on the basis of the best
available knowledge and that they are economically sound and cost-effective.
PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE
Where there is scientific uncertainty, implement evaluation procedures and take appropriate
preventive action in order to avoid damage to human health or to the environment.
MAKE POLLUTERS PAY
Ensure that prices reflect the real costs to society of consumption and production activities
and that polluters pay for the damage they cause to human health and the environment.
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MAKING USE OF SYNERGIES BETWEEN THE EU SDS AND THE LISBON STRATEGY
FOR GROWTH AND JOBS
7. The EU SDS and the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs complement each other. The SDS is
primarily concerned with quality of life, intra- and inter-generational equity and coherence
between all policy areas, including external aspects. It recognises the role of economic
development in facilitating the transition to a more sustainable society. The Lisbon Strategy
makes an essential contribution to the overarching objective of sustainable development
focusing primarily on actions and measures aimed at increasing competitiveness and
economic growth and enhancing job creation.
8. The EU SDS forms the overall framework within which the Lisbon Strategy, with its renewed
focus on growth and jobs, provides the motor of a more dynamic economy. These two
strategies recognise that economic, social and environmental objectives can reinforce each
other and they should therefore advance together. Both strategies aim at supporting the
necessary structural changes which enable the Member States´ economies to cope with the
challenges of globalisation by creating a level playing field in which dynamism, innovation
and creative entrepreneurship can flourish whilst ensuring social equity and a healthy
environment.
9. In this context the EU SDS recognises that investments in human, social and environmental
capital as well as technological innovation are the prerequisites for long-term competitiveness
and economic prosperity, social cohesion, quality employment and better environmental
protection.
BETTER POLICY-MAKING
10. The EU SDS sets out an approach to better policy-making based on better regulation and on
the principle that sustainable development is to be integrated into policy-making at all levels.
This requires all levels of government to support, and to cooperate with, each other, taking
into account the different institutional settings, cultures and specific circumstances in Member
States.
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11. In this respect all EU institutions should ensure that major policy decisions are based on
proposals that have undergone high quality Impact Assessment (IA), assessing in a balanced
way the social, environmental and economic dimensions of sustainable development and
taking into account the external dimension of sustainable development and the costs of
inaction. Other tools for better policy-making include ex-post-assessment of policy impacts
and public and stakeholders participation. Member States should make wider use of these
tools, in particular IA, when allocating public funds and developing strategies, programmes
and projects.
12. All EU institutions should ensure that proposals for targets, objectives and measures are
feasible and, where needed, accompanied by the necessary instruments at EU level.
KEY CHALLENGES
13. Bearing in mind worsening environmental trends, the EU's economic and social challenges
coupled with new competitive pressures and new international commitments, the EU SDS
identifies 7 key challenges and corresponding targets, operational objectives and actions.
Their future design and implementation will be guided by the principles mentioned above.
Reference to any particular action is without prejudice to the division of competencies
between the EU and the Member States.
Climate Change and clean energy
Overall Objective: To limit climate change and its costs and negative effects to society and
the environment
Operational objectives and targets
• Kyoto Protocol commitments of the EU-15 and most EU-25 to targets for reducing
greenhouse gas emissions by 2008 – 2012, whereby the EU-15 target is for an 8%
reduction in emissions compared to 1990 levels. Aiming for a global surface average
temperature not to rise by more than 2ºC compared to the pre-industrial level.
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• Energy policy should be consistent with the objectives of security of supply,
competitiveness and environmental sustainability, in the spirit of the Energy Policy for
Europe launched in March 2006 by the European Council. Energy policy is crucial
when tackling the challenge of climate change.
• Adaptation to, and mitigation of, climate change should be integrated in all relevant
European policies.
• By 2010 12% of energy consumption, on average, and 21% of electricity consumption,
as a common but differentiated target, should be met by renewable sources, considering
raising their share to 15% by 2015.
• By 2010 5,75% of transport fuel should consist of biofuels, as an indicative target,
(Directive 2003/30/EC), considering raising their proportion to 8% by 2015.
• Reaching an overall saving of 9% of final energy consumption over 9 years until 2017
as indicated by the Energy End-use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive.
Actions should include
• Following up the Montreal Climate Action Plan under the UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change, the EU is to prepare options for a post-2012 arrangement consistent
with meeting the 2°C objective without delay through constructive engagement in a
broad dialogue on long-term cooperative action and at the same time through a process
under the Kyoto Protocol, in line with the principle of common but differentiated
responsibilities and respective capabilities.
• Without prejudging new approaches for differentiation between Parties in a future fair
and flexible framework, the EU looks forward to exploring with other parties strategies
for achieving necessary emission reductions. The EU believes that in this context
reduction pathways by the group of developed countries in the order of 15-30% by 2020
compared to the baseline envisaged in the Kyoto Protocol, and beyond in the spirit of
the conclusions of the Environment Council, should be considered.
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• In the framework of the second phase of the European Climate Change Programme, the
Commission and Member States will prioritise new actions to systematically exploit
cost-effective emission reduction options for cars and aviation. In this context carbon
sequestration and storage will be explored as mitigation options.
• The Commission will complete a review of the EU Emission trading scheme (EU ETS)
in a timely manner, thereby providing medium and long term certainty to investors, and
will consider its extension to other greenhouse gases and sectors, specifically aviation as
previously called for by the Council.
• The Commission and Member States will strengthen the EU leadership by adopting and
implementing an ambitious and realistic Action Plan on Energy Efficiency bearing in
mind the EU energy saving potential of 20% by 2020, as estimated by the Commission,
and taking into account measures already implemented by Member States.
• The Commission will produce an analysis of how to achieve the existing targets (2010)
for renewables and how further to promote renewable energies in a cost-efficient
manner over the long term and in the same way further the use of biofuels in the
transport sector accompanied by a constructive dialogue with the oil industry and all
stakeholders and giving maximum support to research on and development of 2nd
generation biofuels. The setting of new targets shall be justified on the basis of thorough
analysis of the potential and cost-effectiveness of further measures. Throughout these
processes, account should be taken of Member States' specific characteristics and need
for flexibility in developing their energy mix as well as of the problems of islands or
regions largely isolated from the EU energy market.
• The Commission and the Member States are to promote the use of biomass with a view
to diversifying the EU's fuel supply sources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
offering new income and employment opportunities in rural areas by taking forward
proposals in the Biomass Action Plan in all of its three sectors: heating and cooling,
electricity and transport. This should be developed in the framework of a long-term
strategy for bio-energy beyond 2010.
• Member States should enhance the efficiency of power stations in particular by further
promoting the use of combined heat and power.
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Sustainable Transport
Overall Objective: To ensure that our transport systems meet society’s economic, social and
environmental needs whilst minimising their undesirable impacts on the
economy, society and the environment
Operational objectives and targets
• Decoupling economic growth and the demand for transport with the aim of reducing
environmental impacts.
• Achieving sustainable levels of transport energy use and reducing transport greenhouse
gas emissions.
• Reducing pollutant emissions from transport to levels that minimise effects on human
health and/or the environment.
• Achieving a balanced shift towards environment friendly transport modes to bring about
a sustainable transport and mobility system.
• Reducing transport noise both at source and through mitigation measures to ensure
overall exposure levels minimise impacts on health.
• Modernising the EU framework for public passenger transport services to encourage
better efficiency and performance by 2010.
• In line with the EU strategy on CO2 emissions from light duty vehicles, the average new
car fleet should achieve CO2 emissions of 140g/km (2008/09) and 120g/km (2012).
• Halving road transport deaths by 2010 compared to 2000.
Actions should include
• The EU and Member States will take measures to improve the economic and
environmental performance of all modes of transport and, where appropriate, measures
to effect a shift from road to rail, water and public passenger transport including lower
transport intensity through production and logistic process reengineering and
behavioural change combined with a better connection of the different transport modes.
• The EU and Member States should improve energy efficiency in the transport sector by
making use of cost-effective instruments.
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• The EU and Member States should focus on possible alternatives to road transport for
freight and passengers including the appropriate development of the Trans-European
Network and inter-modal links for freight logistics, inter alia by implementing measures
envisaged in the Commission action programme for inland waterway transport
“NAIADES” and the “Marco Polo II” Programme.
• The Commission will continue to examine the use of infrastructure charging for all
modes of transport drawing on new opportunities arising with new satellite, information
and communication technologies. In the framework of the Eurovignette-Directive the
Commission will present, no later than 2008, a generally applicable, transparent and
comprehensible model for the assessment of all external costs to serve as the basis for
future calculations of infrastructure charging.
• The Commission and Member States should strive to make progress towards effective
global solutions for the reduction of harmful impacts of international maritime and air
traffic.
• With a view to halving road transport deaths as well as reducing the number of injured
in road traffic, increasing road safety by improving road infrastructure, by making
vehicles safer, by promoting common European-wide awareness campaigns with a view
to changing road user behaviour as well as by establishing cross-border enforcement.
• In line with the thematic strategy on the urban environment, local authorities should
develop and implement urban transport plans and systems taking into account technical
guidance provided by the Commission in 2006 and considering closer co-operation
between cities and surrounding regions.
• The Commission and Member States will develop a long term and coherent EU fuel-
strategy.
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Sustainable consumption and production
Overall Objective: To promote sustainable consumption and production patterns
Operational objectives and targets
• Promoting sustainable consumption and production by addressing social and economic
development within the carrying capacity of ecosystems and decoupling economic
growth from environmental degradation.
• Improving the environmental and social performance for products and processes and
encouraging their uptake by business and consumers.
• Aiming to achieve by 2010 an EU average level of Green Public Procurement (GPP)
equal to that currently achieved by the best performing Member States.
• The EU should seek to increase its global market share in the field of environmental
technologies and eco-innovations.
Actions should include
• The Commission and Member States will explore specific actions to bring about more
sustainable consumption and production patterns at EU and global level, in particular
through the UN Marrakech Process and the Commission for Sustainable Development.
In this context the Commission will propose an EU Sustainable Consumption and
production Action plan by 2007, which should help to identify and overcome barriers
for SCP and to ensure better coherence between the different related policy areas and to
raise awareness among citizens and change unsustainable consumption habits.
• The Commission and the Member States should engage in a dialogue with business and
relevant stakeholders aiming at setting environmental and social performance targets for
products and processes.
• The Commission and Member States will develop a structured process to share best
practice and expertise on GPP taking into account the potential to promote GPP at local
and regional levels. The Commission will facilitate regular EU-wide benchmarking of
GPP performance, according to an assessment methodology based on agreed and
objective parameters, and examine with Member States how best to promote GPP for
other major product groups by 2007.
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• The Commission and Member States will step up efforts to promote and disseminate
social and eco-innovations and environmental technologies, inter alia through effective
implementation of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP) by all actors
concerned in order to create new economic opportunities and new markets.
• The Commission will propose extending performance labelling schemes from electrical
appliances and cars to other groups of environmentally harmful products including
products with high environmental impacts.
• Member States should support information campaigns with retailers and other
organisations to promote sustainable products inter alia products that stem from organic
farming and fair trade as well as environmentally sound products.
Conservation and management of natural resources
Overall Objective: To improve management and avoid overexploitation of natural
resources, recognising the value of ecosystem services
Operational objectives and targets
• Improving resource efficiency to reduce the overall use of non renewable natural
resources and the related environmental impacts of raw materials use, thereby using
renewable natural resources at a rate that does not exceed their regeneration capacity.
• Gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage by improving resource efficiency,
inter alia through the promotion of eco-efficient innovations.
• Improving management and avoiding overexploitation of renewable natural resources
such as fisheries, biodiversity, water, air, soil and atmosphere, restoring degraded
marine ecosystems by 2015 in line with the Johannesburg Plan (2002) including
achievement of the Maximum Yield in Fisheries by 2015.
• Halting the loss of biodiversity and contributing to a significant reduction in the
worldwide rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.
• Contributing effectively to achieving the four United Nations global objectives on
forests by 2015.
• Avoiding the generation of waste and enhancing efficient use of natural resources by
applying the concept of life-cycle thinking and promoting reuse and recycling.
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Actions should include
• In the field of agriculture and fisheries Member States and the Commission will make
further efforts through the new programmes for rural development, the reformed
Common Fisheries Policy, the new legislative frameworks for organic farming and
animal welfare as well as the biomass action plan.
• The Commission and Member States should build on the EU strategy on the sustainable
use of natural resources which should be complemented by a number of targets and
measures at EU-level. The European Environment Agency should give support
regarding the measurement of resource efficiency.
• Sustainable Forest Management will be strengthened through the adoption of an EU
Forest Action Plan in 2006 and the Communities engagement in the Ministerial
Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe including the implementation of its
resolutions.
• Member States should complete the Natura 2000 network, including designation of
marine areas. Particular attention should be paid to the need for improved
implementation of both Natura 2000 and of species protection and management
policies.
• Member States should implement the EU Biodiversity Strategy in both its EU and its
global dimensions (Convention on Biological Diversity) and, in cooperation with the
Commission, take measures to identify and implement priority actions to achieve the
objective of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 and beyond.
• The Commission and Member States should work towards improving integrated water
resources management, the marine environment and promoting integrated coastal zone
management.
• On the basis of the Commission Green Paper on maritime affairs, ocean and sea related
policies will be developed in a more sustainable and integrated fashion from 2008
onwards.
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Public Health
Overall objective: To promote good public health on equal conditions and improve
protection against health threats
Operational objectives and targets:
• Improving protection against health threats by developing capacity to respond to them
in a co-ordinated manner.
• Further improving food and feed legislation, including review of food labelling.
• Continuing to promote high animal health and welfare standards in the EU and
internationally.
• Curbing the increase in lifestyle-related and chronic diseases, particularly among socioeconomically
disadvantaged groups and areas.
• Reducing health inequalities within and between Member States by addressing the
wider determinants of health and appropriate health promotion and disease prevention
strategies. Actions should take into account international cooperation in fora like WHO,
the Council of Europe, OECD and UNESCO.
• Ensuring that by 2020 chemicals, including pesticides, are produced, handled and used
in ways that do not pose significant threats to human health and the environment. In
this context, the rapid adoption of the Regulation for the registration, evaluation,
authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH) will be a milestone, the aim being
to eventually replace substances of very high concern by suitable alternative substances
or technologies.
• Improving information on environmental pollution and adverse health impacts.
• Improving mental health and tackling suicide risks.
Actions should include
• The Commission in collaboration with Member States, the European Centre for Disease
Prevention and Control (ECDC) and WHO will further develop and strengthen
capacities at EU and Member-State level to respond to health threats in a co-ordinated
manner inter alia by upgrading existing action plans on handling health threats.
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• The Commission and Member States will promote better health and disease prevention
by addressing health determinants across all relevant policies and activities. Particular
attention will be given to the preparation and implementation of strategies and measures
targeting life-style related health determinants, such as drugs, tobacco use, harmful
drinking, poor diet and physical inactivity, and chronic diseases.
• Member States´ health policies should aim at creating and implementing strategies to
help women and men in achieving and maintaining positive emotional states thus
improving their well-being, their subjective perception of quality of life and their
physical and mental health.
• The Commission will propose further improvements in the food and feed legislation
according to the principles of Articles 14 and 15 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 on the
safety of food and feeding stuffs. There is a particular need for improvements to the
operation of the system on the production and use of genetically modified food and
feed, in order to reassure Member States, stakeholders and the general public that
decisions are based on risk assessment and risk management which also take into
account possible long term effects on human life and health, animal health and welfare,
environment and consumer interests.
• The Commission together with Member States will implement an EU Strategy to
combat HIV/AIDS within the EU and in neighbouring countries. Member States should
intensify efforts to implement the existing EU Programme for Action to confront
HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in third Countries. Concrete links should be
established with other Community measures such as the Strategy for Africa.
• The Commission together with Member States will increase information on
environmental pollution and adverse health impacts and will coordinate research into
the links between environmental pollutants, exposure and health impacts to improve our
understanding of which environmental factors cause health problems and how best to
prevent them.
• The Commission should propose a strategy for improving indoor air quality, with
particular attention to VOC emissions.
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• Special attention will be given by the Commission and Member States to vulnerable
groups, in particular children through the EU's contribution to the Children
Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE).
• Further implementation of the Transport Health and Environment Pan European
Programme (THE PEP) by the Commission and Member States inter alia through the
integration of environmental and health aspects into transport policy decision-making,
monitoring and impact assessment.
Social inclusion, demography and migration
Overall Objective: To create a socially inclusive society by taking into account solidarity
between and within generations and to secure and increase the quality of
life of citizens as a precondition for lasting individual well-being
Operational objectives and targets
• Pursuing the EU objective that steps have to be taken to make a decisive impact on the
reduction of the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion by 2010 with a
special focus on the need to reduce child poverty.
• Ensuring a high level of social and territorial cohesion at EU level and in the Members
States as well as respect for cultural diversity.
• Supporting the Member States in their efforts to modernise social protection in view of
demographic changes.
• Significantly increasing the labour market participation of women and older workers
according to set targets, as well as increasing employment of migrants by 2010.
• Continuing developing an EU migration policy, accompanied by policies to strengthen
the integration of migrants and their families, taking into account also the economic
dimension of migration.
• Reducing the negative effects of globalisation on workers and their families.
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• Promoting increased employment of young people. Intensifying efforts to reduce early
school leaving to 10% and to ensure that at least 85% of 22 year olds should have
completed upper secondary education. By the end of 2007 every young person who has
left school and is unemployed should be offered a job, apprenticeship, additional
training or other employability measure within six months, and within no more than 4
months by 2010.
• Increasing the labour market participation of disabled persons.
Actions should include
• On the basis of the new objectives and working methods for social protection and social
inclusion endorsed by the European Council in March 2006, Member States and the
Commission will continue their cooperation using the open method of coordination
(OMC). In this context the EU and Member States will also take the necessary measures
to rapidly and significantly reduce child poverty and will work towards giving all
children equal opportunities, regardless of their social background, gender or
disabilities.
• On the basis of the Communication on “Social Services of General Interest” the
Commission and the Member States will continue efforts to ensure that social services
contribute actively to social inclusion and cohesion, and support the objectives of
growth and employment. The Commission and the Member States will also continue the
work on a further clarification of the impact of Community law on social services of
general interest.
• The Member States will continue implementation of the European Pact for Youth. In the
structured dialogue with young people during each Presidency organisations active in
the field of European youth policy, among them the European Youth Forum, should be
invited to feed in sustainable development issues of interest for young people by
preparing these dialogues between youth and governments.
• Member States and the EU will implement the European Pact for Gender Equality
agreed at the European Council in March 2006.
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• Taking into account the ageing of populations in all European countries, the
sustainability and adequacy of pensions will remain an important issue for the coming
decades. The EU will continue to support the efforts of Member States to modernise
social protection systems and ensure their sustainability. Member States should reduce
public debt at a satisfactory pace, raising employment rates and productivity, as well as
reforming health care and long-term care systems.
• In 2006 the Commission will adopt a Communication on the demographic future of
Europe examining how the EU can help Member States respond to the demographic
challenges they face, notably by promoting active and healthy ageing strategies, the
reconciliation of work and family life, better conditions for families, also taking into
account the contribution of immigration.
• Member States should analyse the possible implications of demographic change for land
use and resource and energy consumption as well as mobility, and take them into
account in planning and investment at all levels.
• The EU and the Member States will continue to develop an EU migration policy,
accompanied by policies to strengthen the integration of migrants and their families,
notably through the policy plan on migration, including admissions procedures. They
will intensify cooperation with third countries and work towards joint responses to
control migration flows. In 2006 the Commission will present a Communication on
future priorities in the fight against illegal immigration.
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Global poverty and sustainable development challenges
Overall objective: To actively promote sustainable development worldwide and ensure that
the European Union’s internal and external policies are consistent with
global sustainable development and its international commitments
Operational objectives and targets:
• Make significant progress towards meeting the commitments of the EU with regard to
internationally agreed goals and targets, in particular those contained in the Millennium
Declaration and those deriving from The World Summit on Sustainable Development
held in Johannesburg in 2002 and related processes such as the Monterrey Consensus on
Financing for Development, the Doha Development Agenda and the Paris Declaration
on Aid Harmonisation.
• Contribute to improving international environmental governance (IEG), in particular in
the context of the follow-up to the 2005 World Summit outcome, and to strengthening
multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs).
• Raise the volume of aid to 0,7% of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2015 with an
intermediate target of 0,56% in 2010,
i) Member States which have not yet reached a level of 0,51% ODA/GNI undertake
to reach, within their respective budget allocation processes, that level by 2010,
while those that are already above that level undertake to sustain their efforts;
ii) Member States which have joined the EU after 2002 and that have not reached a
level of 0,17% ODA/GNI will strive to increase their ODA to reach, within their
respective budget allocation processes, that level by 2010, while those that are
already above that level undertake to sustain their efforts;
iii) Member States undertake to achieve the 0,7% ODA/GNI target by 2015 whilst
those which have achieved that target commit themselves to remain above that
target; Member States which joined the EU after 2002 will strive to increase by
2015 their ODA/GNI to 0,33%.
• Promote sustainable development in the context of the WTO negotiations, in accordance
with the preamble to the Marrakech Agreement establishing the World Trade
Organisation which sets sustainable development as one of its main objectives.
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• Increase the effectiveness, coherence and quality of EU and Member States aid policies
in the period 2005–2010.
• Include sustainable development concerns in all EU external policies, including the
Common Foreign and Security Policy, inter alia by making it an objective of
multilateral and bilateral development cooperation.
Actions should include
• Implementation of the EU “Water for Life” Initiative, the EU Energy Initiative for
poverty eradication and sustainable development as well as the Johannesburg
Renewable Energy Coalition and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals
Management (SAICM).
• Development of a Common EU Programming framework, using more joint actions and
co- financing of projects, and increasing the coherence between development and other
policies. The quality and effectiveness of aid could be increased through inter alia
effective budget support, debt reduction and untying of aid.
• Member States and the Commission should implement the EU strategies on Africa,
Latin America and the Pacific.
• The Commission and Member States will increase efforts to make globalisation work
for sustainable development by stepping up efforts to see that international trade and
investment are used as a tool to achieve genuine global sustainable development. In this
context, the EU should be working together with its trading partners to improve
environmental and social standards and should use the full potential of trade or
cooperation agreements at regional or bilateral level to this end.
• Investments through the European Investment Bank and the EU-Africa Partnership for
Infrastructure should support sustainable development objectives. The European
Investment Bank should assess its lending against the contribution to achieving the
Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development.
• Member States and the Commission should cooperate to promote the EU position on
transforming the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) into a UN specialised agency or
UNEO, based in Nairobi with a strengthened mandate and stable, adequate and
predictable financing.
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CROSS CUTTING POLICIES CONTRIBUTING TO THE KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY
• Education and training
14. Education is a prerequisite for promoting the behavioural changes and providing all citizens
with the key competences needed to achieve sustainable development. Success in reversing
unsustainable trends will to a large extent depend on high-quality education for sustainable
development at all levels of education including education on issues such as the sustainable
use of energies and transport systems, sustainable consumption and production patterns,
health, media competence and responsible global citizenship.
15. Education can contribute to greater social cohesion and well-being through investments in
social capital and by ensuring equal opportunities, citizens´ participation especially of
disadvantaged groups to achieve a higher degree of awareness and understanding of the
complexity and many interdependencies in today's world. Education that provides women and
men with competences that increase their employability and lead to high quality employment
is also key in strengthening the competitiveness of the EU.
16. On the basis of the Communication "i2010 - A European Information Society for Growth and
Employment", the Commission and Member States should address issues such as equal
opportunities, ICT skills and regional divides.
17. In the context of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014),
Member States could further develop their national action plans, making in particular use of
the “Education and training 2010” work programme, whose objectives are focused on quality
and relevance, on access for all and on the openness of systems and institutions to society and
the wider world. Member States could develop education for sustainable development and
targeted training for professions in key sectors such as construction, energy and transport.
Special attention should be devoted to teacher training. They should also implement the
UNECE Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development adopted in Vilnius in 2005.
Education for sustainable development should also be promoted at EU level. The European
Parliament and the Council will adopt an integrated action programme in the field of lifelong
learning for 2007-2013 in 2006.
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• Research and development
18. Research into sustainable development must include short-term decision support projects and
long-term visionary concepts and has to tackle problems of a global and regional nature. It has
to promote inter- and transdisciplinary approaches involving social and natural sciences and
bridge the gap between science, policy-making and implementation. The positive role of
technology for smart growth has to be further developed. There is still a strong need for
further research in the interplay between social, economic and ecological systems, and in
methodologies and instruments for risk analysis, back- and forecasting and prevention
systems.
19. It is key in that regard to ensure effective implementation of the 7th Framework Programme
of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration
activities, involving academia, industry and policy-makers and to advance the implementation
of the Environmental Technology Action Plan.
20. For better understanding of interlinkages between the three dimensions of SD, the core system
of national income accounting could be extended by inter alia integrating stock and flow
concepts and non-market work and be further elaborated by satellite accounts e.g.
environmental expenditures, material flows and taking into consideration international best
practices.
21. Universities, research institutes and private enterprises all have an essential role to play in
promoting research that supports efforts to ensure that economic growth and environmental
protection reinforce each other. Universities and other higher education institutions have a key
role in providing education and training that equip the qualified workforce with the necessary
competences to fully develop and exploit sustainable technologies. They should also
contribute to low environmental impact management through interdisciplinary approaches and
by building on existing networks. Creation of partnerships and cooperation between European
and third country universities and higher education institutions, encouraging networking and
peer learning, should be promoted.
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FINANCING AND ECONOMIC INSTRUMENTS
22. The EU will seek to use the full range of policy instruments in the implementation of its
policies. The most appropriate economic instruments should be used to promote market
transparency and prices that reflect the real economic, social and environmental costs of
products and services (getting prices right). Their potential to reconcile environmental
protection and smart economic growth and exploit win-win opportunities should be
recognised. Additionally, their suitability should be judged against a set of criteria, including
their impact on competitiveness and productivity.
23. Member States should consider further steps to shift taxation from labour to resource and
energy consumption and/or pollution, to contribute to the EU goals of increasing employment
and reducing negative environmental impacts in a cost-effective way. In this context, the
Commission should gather relevant information by 2007.
24. By 2008, the Commission should put forward a roadmap for the reform, sector by sector, of
subsidies that have considerable negative effects on the environment and are incompatible
with sustainable development, with a view to gradually eliminating them.
25. In order to ensure that EU funding is used and channelled in an optimum way to promote
sustainable development, Member States and the Commission should co-ordinate to enhance
complementarities and synergies between various strands of Community and other cofinancing
mechanisms such as cohesion policy, rural development, Life+, Research and
Technological Development (RTD), the Competitiveness and Innovation Program (CIP) and
the European Fisheries Fund (EFF).
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COMMUNICATION, MOBILISING ACTORS AND MULTIPLYING SUCCESS
26. The Commission will mainstream sustainable development in its information, awarenessraising
and communication activities and continue, together with other Community
institutions, to organise events and stakeholder meetings on the various strands of the strategy,
to disseminate new ideas and exchange best practices. In this context the Commission should
produce a layman's guide to this strategy, including good practice and good policies in
Member States, to help increase public awareness of sustainable development. Use should be
made of valuable communication tools to measure the impacts of human activities on the
earth's capacity to support life in its diversity.
27. The Commission should elaborate a concrete and realistic vision of the EU on its way to
sustainable development over the next 50 years. Such a vision should be prepared in a
participatory manner and should identify the main long term objectives and describe
intermediate stages and steps towards their achievement.
28. Member States have the key role in targeting communication to the most appropriate level.
29. With regard to the important role of local and regional levels in delivering sustainable
development and building up social capital, it is the overall aim to build sustainable
communities in urban and rural areas where citizens live and work and jointly create a high
quality of life. Approaches like Local Agenda 21 and other processes with broad public
participation must be further strengthened and promoted. Municipalities, cities and towns
should be invited to sign and implement the Aalborg Commitments. Networks at different
levels should support these activities.
30. In this connection the Commission is invited to elaborate possible options of how to promote
the “European Sustainable Cities & Towns Campaign” which provides an exchange of good
practice including the elaboration of quality criteria, indicators and instruments like impact
assessment. The best sustainable development initiatives taken by regional and local
authorities will be awarded prizes on an annual basis. The Commission will invite proposals
from other EU institutions and organisations on how best to organise this.
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31. Business leaders and other key stakeholders including workers' organisations and nongovernmental
organisations should engage in urgent reflection with political leaders on the
medium- and long-term policies needed for sustainable development and propose ambitious
business responses which go beyond existing minimum legal requirements. A proposal to
foster this process will be made by the Commission in 2007. In accordance with the European
Alliance for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), awareness and knowledge of corporate
social and environmental responsibility and accountability should be increased.
32. The EU welcomes civil society initiatives which aim at creating more ownership for
sustainable development and will therefore intensify dialogue with relevant organisations and
platforms that can offer valuable advice by drawing attention to the likely impact of current
policies on future generations. In this context, the EU will also continue to promote full
implementation of the Aarhus Convention Access to Information, Public Participation in
Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters.
IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND FOLLOW-UP
33. The Commission will submit every two years (starting in September 2007) a progress report
on implementation of the SDS in the EU and the Member States also including future
priorities, orientations and actions. As for the monitoring at EU level, the Commission will, in
analysing the state of play with regard to the challenges described above, draw on a
comprehensive set of sustainable development indicators (SDIs), taking into account the
EUROSTAT SD Monitoring Report, to be updated every two years, as well as on the latest
scientific evidence and on developments in relation to key EU activities (strategies, action
plans, legislation).
34. To ensure both a comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the complexity of sustainable
development, the indicators are to be developed at the appropriate level of detail to ensure
proper assessment of the situation with regard to each particular challenge.
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35. The Commission, in cooperation with Member States through the working group on SDIs,
will further develop and review indicators to increase their quality and comparability as well
as their relevance to the renewed EU SDS, also taking into account other indicator initiatives
and focusing on those indicators marked as most needed.
36. In 2007 at the latest, and at regular intervals after that, the Council will examine progress with
regard to sustainable development indicators and will consider endorsement of a limited set of
indicators for monitoring the SDS at EU level and for communication purposes.
37. With regard to the national level, the Commission progress report will build on Member
States´ actions to implement the EU SDS and the results gained from completed Peer
Reviews. Each Member State will appoint a representative acting as SDS focal point enabled
to provide, at the latest by June 2007 (and then at two-year intervals), the necessary input on
progress at national level in accordance with National Sustainable Development Strategies
(NSDSs) and if appropriate taking into account developments at sub-national level. Best use
will also be made of relevant information from other reports by the Member States.
38. On the basis of the Commission progress report and the contributions of the Council, the
December European Council should review progress and priorities every two years (starting
in 2007) and provide general orientations on policies, strategies and instruments for
sustainable development, taking account of priorities under the Lisbon strategy for growth and
jobs. In that way, results from the EU SDS can contribute to work in the Lisbon context,
including on the integrated guidelines, allowing for coherent treatment of cross-cutting issues
such as climate change, energy efficiency, ageing and social cohesion.
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39. The European Parliament will be invited to contribute views in the context of future progress
reviews and engage in close cooperation with the Council and the Commission to ensure that
the EU SDS enjoys the broadest possible support. The European Parliament could also liaise
with national Parliaments. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) should
play an active role in creating ownership inter alia through acting as a catalyst to stimulate
debate at EU level, and is invited to prepare input to the biennial progress report of the
Commission including a collection of best practices of its members. The Committee of the
Regions could liaise with the sub-national and local levels.
40. Member States elaborating their first national NSDSs should complete these by June 2007.
Future reviews of NSDSs should be undertaken in the light of the revised EU SDS, to ensure
consistency, coherence and mutual supportiveness, bearing in mind specific circumstances in
the Members States.
41. Voluntary peer reviews of NSDSs should start in 2006 with a first group of Member States.
These should involve officials and stakeholders from other Member States, including national
councils for sustainable development and, where appropriate, international observers. Peer
reviews could focus either on the strategies as a whole or on specific themes. They should
also serve to identify examples of good policies and practices. A subsequent round of peer
reviews could start in 2007 with the next group of Member States. Peer reviews could be
supported by scientific evidence through external evaluation.
42. Member States could make use of the existing European Sustainable Development Network
with the aim of facilitating the exchange of good practices and experiences. It could gather
views on specific priority themes and issues to be discussed by Member States in order to
exemplify and document good policies and practices. This network could also be used to
enhance the mainstreaming of sustainable development issues, vertical integration and
coherence between the EU, national and sub-national levels of policy-making.
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43. Member States should consider strengthening or, where these do not yet exist, setting up
multi-stakeholder national advisory councils on sustainable development to stimulate
informed debate, assist in the preparation of NSDSs and/or contribute to national and EU
progress reviews. National sustainable development councils are meant to increase the
involvement of civil society in sustainable development matters and contribute to better
linking different policies and policy levels, also by using their network of European
Environmental and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils (EEAC).
44. The EU institutions should improve internal policy coordination between different sectors.
While the Council (General Affairs) should ensure the horizontal coordination of the EU
SDS, other Council formations should verify implementation in their respective areas of
responsibility. When reviewing progress, the Council should consider different options on
how its work could be further strengthened to ensure proper implementation of the EU SDS.
45. At the latest by 2011, the European Council will decide when a comprehensive review of the
EU SDS needs to be launched.
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