Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Mainstreaming sustainable development into EU policies : 2009 Review of the European Union Strategy for Sustainable Development
Date: 2009-07-24
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, climate change, economic growth, environmental cooperation, environmental policy, local government, management of resources, regional government, sustainable development

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 24.7.2009 
COM(2009) 400 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Mainstreaming sustainable development into EU policies: 
2009 Review of the European Union Strategy for Sustainable Development 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Mainstreaming sustainable development into EU policies: 
2009 Review of the European Union Strategy for Sustainable Development 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Sustainable development is set out in the Treaty as the overarching long-term goal of the EU. 
The Sustainable Development Strategy of the European Union (EU SDS), as revised in 2006, 
is  a  framework  for  a  long-term  vision  of  sustainability  in  which  economic  growth,  social 
cohesion and environmental protection go hand in hand and are mutually supporting.  

In  recent  years,  the  European  Union  has  mainstreamed  the  objective  of  sustainable 
development  (SD)  into  a  broad  range  of  policies.  It  has,  in  particular,  taken  the  lead 
internationally  in  the  fight  against  climate  change  and  is  committed  to  promoting  a  low-
carbon, knowledge-based, resource-efficient economy. At the same time unsustainable trends 
persist in several areas, despite a whole host of positive policy developments. The demand on 
natural  resources  has  been  growing  fast  and  exceeds  what  the  Earth  can  sustain  in  the  long 
term.  Biodiversity  is  in  decline  globally  and  major  ecosystems  are  placed  under  increasing 
pressure.  Energy  consumption  in  transport  continues  to  rise.  Global  poverty  persists;  the 
Millennium Development Goals would need major efforts to be achieved. 

The current economic and financial crisis has shown that sustainability is also a key factor for 
our  financial  systems  and  the  economy  as  a  whole.  The  crisis  is  affecting  all  sectors  of  the 
economy,  households,  businesses  and  jobs.  The  latest  data  show  that  EU  labour  markets 
continue to deteriorate in reaction to the economic crisis. Unemployment is rising, the number 
of job vacancies is still falling and companies continue to announce substantial job reductions 
across several sectors. The most vulnerable parts of the labour force are worst affected. 

In  response  to  the  economic  and  financial  crisis,  the  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  taken 
measures to reform the financial system, support the real economy, promote employment and 
contribute  to  global  recovery.  In  November  2008,  the  Commission  launched  a  major 
Recovery Plan for growth and jobs.1 The Recovery Plan includes measures to boost demand, 
help  restore  confidence  and  promote  employment  and  social  inclusion.  It  also  includes 
proposals  for  smart  investment  in  tomorrow’s  skills  and  technologies  to  help  yield  higher 
economic growth and sustainable prosperity in the longer term.  

It  is  crucial  that  measures  to  support  the  real  economy  and  reduce  the  social  impact  of  the 
current crisis are compatible with long-term sustainability goals. The EU should turn the crisis 
into an opportunity to address financial and ecological sustainability and develop a dynamic 
low-carbon and resource-efficient, knowledge-based, socially inclusive society, and promote 

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Recovery  Plan  COM(2008)  800,  26.11.2008  and  COM(2009)  114,  4.3.2009,  Employment 
Communication COM (2009)257, 3.6.2009 and Communication "Cohesion policy: investing in the real 
economy", COM(2008) 876, 16.12.2008. 

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this  approach  globally.  The  Recovery  Plan  and  the  corresponding  national  plans  already 
contain  a  number  of  initiatives  in  support  of  this  objective.  Work  to  overcome  the  crisis  is 
ongoing, in particular in the context of the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs, with a focus 
on  green  growth.  In  the  short  term,  green  measures  help  to  revive  the  economy  and  create 
jobs.  In  the  medium  and  long  term,  they  also  stimulate  new  technologies  and  reduce  our 
impact  on  climate  change,  the  depletion  of  natural  resources  and  the  degradation  of 
ecosystems. 

The December 2007 European Council asked the Commission to provide a second progress 
report2  on  the  EU  SDS  by  June  2009.  This  review  is  in  response  to  the  request  of  the 
European Council. 

As a complement to this review, Eurostat will publish a monitoring report, later in 2009, of 
the EU’s sustainable development strategy, which will measure progress against quantitative 
indicators.  

2. 

THE EVOLVING ROLE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN EU POLICY-MAKING 

In  recent  years,  the  EU  has  demonstrated  its  clear  commitment  to  sustainable  development 
and has successfully mainstreamed this sustainability dimension into many policy fields. The 
EU's  climate  change  and  energy  policies  are  evidence  of  the  impact  that  sustainable 
development  strategy  has  had  on  the  political  agenda.  The  EU  has  started  to  integrate  the 
sustainability dimension in many other policy fields also. 

The  EU  Better  regulation  agenda  has  contributed  to  integrating  policy  objectives  and 
improving  the  cost-efficiency  of  policy  decisions.  This  has  been  achieved  through  the 
simplification  of  EU  legislation,  and  the  reduction  of  administrative  burden.  The  role  of 
impact  assessment  needs  also  to  be  highlighted  in  particular.  The  Commission's  impact 
assessment system contributes to sustainable development by assessing the potential impacts 
of new legislation or policy proposals in economic,  social and environmental fields through 
an integrated approach.  

The Commission's renewed Social Agenda presented an integrated and holistic approach and 
several policy initiatives, encompassing different policy fields3. The renewed Social Agenda 
highlighted  the  importance  the  Commission  attaches  to  the  sustainable  development  of  our 
societies and announced the development of well-being objectives "beyond GDP". 

The  Employment  guidelines  are  part  of  the  European  Employment  Strategy  and  provide  a 
framework  for  the  development  and  implementation  of  measures  that  are  in  line  with 
sustainable  strategy  goals.  For  instance,  the  EU  deploys  the  Structural  Funds  to  support  the 
Member States in their efforts to foster a low-carbon and resource-efficient economy. Further 
development of the low-carbon economy will also be key to driving the EU back to recovery.  

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an opportunity for enterprises to combine economic, 
social  and  environmental  objectives.  Greater  commitment  to  CSR  on  the  part  of  European 
enterprises will enhance Europe's capacity for sustainable development. The Commission and 

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The first progress report was adopted in October 2007: COM(2007) 642 and SEC(2007) 1416. 
COM(2008) 412, 2.7.2008. 

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many EU Member States have intensified their efforts to promote the uptake of CSR, with the 
emphasis on dialogue between stakeholders. 

The EU has also made progress in mainstreaming the SDS agenda into its external policies, 
for  example  through  Sustainability  Impact  Assessments  carried  out  in  the  context  of  the 
preparation of Free Trade Agreements and work on climate change. 

Member  States  are  also  developing  innovative  solutions  that  are  relevant  to  the  Sustainable 
Development agenda. The use of shadow carbon prices to reflect the social cost of greenhouse 
gas  (GHG)  emissions  in  the  appraisal  of  public  policy  options  is  becoming  more  and  more 
common.  France  has  committed  itself  to  carbon-neutral  investment  with  Cohesion  Policy 
funds  for  the  period  2007-13.  Assigning  carbon  "budgets"  to  departments  (UK)  is  another 
example. Progress has been made on carbon accounting in firms. Also, results from trials in a 
number of Member States show that using smart meters can lower energy consumption by up 
to  10%.  Some  Member  States  have  developed  new  systems  of  energy  auditing,  including 
through financial support, which has helped significantly to reduce energy consumption in the 
building  sector.  Also,  in  France  "Grenelle  de  l'Environnement"  brought  together  the 
government,  business  and  civil  society  into  a  high-level  debate  on  new  measures  for 
sustainable development. 

3. 

POLICY PROGRESS ON THE EU’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY  

This  section  provides  an  overview  of  the  progress  made  at  EU  level  on  the  seven  key 
challenges and cross-cutting themes since the last report in October 2007. It does not set out 
to be a comprehensive list of the action taken but merely to highlight the main initiatives in 
each  field.  The  Eurostat  indicator  report,  based  on  the  EU  set  of  Sustainable  Development 
Indicators (SDIs) to be published later in autumn 2009, will shed more light on progress on 
the ground. Some preliminary results from this report4 are already included in this review. 

Climate change and clean energy  

Although  EU  greenhouse  gas  emissions  grew  over  the  period  from  2000  to  2004,  the  trend 
over the last three years has been favourable and the EU is on track to meet its Kyoto Protocol 
target. However, if global climate change policies are not applied quickly, global greenhouse 
gas  emissions  will  be  in  2020  at  least  60%  higher  than  in  19905.  Even  though  the  share  of 
renewables in gross inland energy consumption has been growing faster since 2002, it is still 
far from the 2010 target of 12%. 

In  recent  years,  the  EU  has  been  at  the  forefront  of  the  fight  against  climate  change.  In 
December  2008,  the  EU  legislator  agreed  on  a  Climate  and  Energy  Package6  that  sets 
ambitious  targets  for  the  EU.  The  EU  committed  itself  unilaterally  to  reducing  its  overall 
emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, and to upgrading this effort to a 30% emissions 
reduction in the event of a comprehensive international climate agreement in Copenhagen in 
December 2009. It also set itself the target of increasing the share of renewables in energy use 
to 20% by 2020. As part of the package, the directive on the EU Emission  Trading System 

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Eurostat data on SDIs covers, for the most part, the years 2000-2007. 
Commission  staff  working  document  accompanying  Communication  "Towards  a  comprehensive 
climate change agreement in Copenhagen", SEC(2009) 101.  
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/climate_action.htm  

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(ETS)7 was amended and directives on carbon capture and storage (CCS)8 and on renewable 
energy  sources9  were  adopted.  The  Energy  Efficiency  Package  reinforces  the  key  energy 
efficiency  legislation  on  buildings10  and  energy-using  products.11  Additional  energy  savings 
will be provided by the extension of the Ecodesign Directive12 to energy-related products, in 
accordance with the sustainable consumption and production/sustainable industrial production 
(SCP/SIP)  Action  Plan13.  The  rules  governing  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund 
(ERDF) have been amended14 to support sustainable energy in the housing sector, providing a 
further boost to investment in this sector. The European Strategic Energy Technology Plan15 
(SET-Plan)  accelerates  the  development  and  deployment  of  cost-effective  low-carbon 
technologies.  Similarly,  a  Communication  on  mobilising  information  and  communication 
technologies (ICT) to improve energy efficiency was adopted in 200916. 

Agreement  on  the  climate  and  energy  package  was  a  major  achievement  in  the  light  of  the 
economic crisis and provides a significant contribution by the EU to the efforts for achieving 
a  comprehensive  climate  change  agreement  in  Copenhagen.  However,  EU  greenhouse  gas 
emissions  make  up  only  a  limited  share  of  global  emissions.  While  the  EU  is  on  track  to 
achieve  its  greenhouse  gas  emission  reduction  targets  resulting  from  the  Kyoto  protocol, 
global  CO2  emissions  are  today  some  40%  higher  than  they  were  in  1990,  the  Kyoto  base 
year17. It is estimated that in order to limit the average global temperature increase to less than 
2°C  compared  to  pre-industrial  levels,  global  greenhouse  gas  emissions  must  be  reduced  to 
less  than  50%  of  1990  levels  by  205018.  Successful  conclusion  of  the  international  climate 
change negotiations in Copenhagen will be key to achieving a long-term sustainable future for 
our planet.  

The  White  Paper  on  Adapting  to  Climate  Change19  sets  a  framework  to  reduce  the  EU’s 
vulnerability to the impact of climate change, focusing on integrating adaptation into EU key 
policy  areas  and  relevant  policy  measures,  building  a  knowledge  base  and  stepping  up 
international cooperation. 

Sustainable transport 

Although  GDP  growth  has  exceeded  growth  in  energy consumption  by the transport  sector, 
energy  consumption  and  greenhouse  gas  emissions  from  transport  continue  to  rise.  Whilst 
signs  of  decoupling  transport  volumes  from  economic  growth  are  visible  in  passenger 
transport,  freight  transport  has  grown  faster  than  GDP.  Noise  and  air  pollution  caused  by 
transport remain major issues across the EU, with severe health impacts. 

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Directive 2009/29/EC (OJ L 140, 5.6.2009, p. 63). 
Directive 2009/31/EC (OJ L 140, 5.6.2009, p. 114). 
Directive 2009/28/EC (OJ L 140, 5.6.2009, p. 16). 
COM(2008) 780, 13.11.2008. 
COM(2008) 778, 13.11.2008. 
COM(2008) 399, 16.7.2008. 
COM(2008) 397, 16.7.2008. 
Regulation (EC) No 397/2009 (OJ L 126, 21.5.2009, p. 3). 
COM(2007) 723, 22.11.2007. 
COM(2009) 111, 12.3.2009. 
Prosperity  without  Growth?  The  transition  to  a  sustainable  economy.  UK  Sustainable  Commission, 
2009. 
Towards a comprehensive climate change agreement in Copenhagen, COM(2009) 39, 28.1.2009 
White paper - Adapting to climate change: towards a European framework for action, COM(2009) 147, 
1.4.2009. 

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As  part  of  the  Climate  and  Energy  Package20,  the  EU  is  committed  to  sourcing  10%  of  its 
transport fuel consumption from renewable energy sources by 2020 (incl. biofuels, renewable 
electricity  and  hydrogen).  This  target  is  accompanied  by  binding  sustainability  criteria  for 
biofuels included in the Renewable Energy Directive21 and the Fuel Quality Directive22. 

Key  EU  policy  developments  include  the  Green  Transport  Package,  which  addresses  the 
greening of transport23, the internalisation of external costs24 and the abatement of noise from 
railways25. It also included a proposal on internalisation charges for lorries26. In April 2009, a 
regulation setting binding targets for CO2 emissions from new passenger cars was adopted27.  

Further  achievements  include  the  adoption  of  a  Directive  on  the  promotion  of  clean  and 
energy-efficient  road  transport  vehicles,28  an  Action  Plan  for  the  deployment  of  Intelligent 
Transport  Systems29  and  the  launch  of  new  actions  as  a  follow-up  to  the  Green  Paper  on 
Urban Mobility. Furthermore, agreement was reached on the inclusion of aviation in the EU 
Emissions  Trading  Scheme  from  2012  onwards.  In  maritime  transport,  action  includes 
adoption of the Maritime Safety Package and the Maritime Transport Strategy until 201830.  

Proposals  for  a  new  Directive  on  tyre  labelling31  and  a  regulation  concerning  tyre  rolling 
noise  limits,  resistance  standards  and  the  use  of  tyre  pressure  warning  systems32  have  also 
been adopted.  

In developing EU transport policy, it is essential to take account of all aspects of sustainability 
(such as emissions, noise, land occupancy and biodiversity) and to base any action on a long-
term vision for the sustainable mobility of people and goods that covers the entire transport 
system33, and on complementary efforts at EU, national and regional levels. 

Sustainable consumption and production 

Changes in sustainable consumption and production show a rather mixed picture, with some 
progress  being  achieved  in  terms  of  decoupling  environmental  degradation  and  the  use  of 
natural  resources  from  economic  growth.  Consumption  patterns,  mainly  regarding  energy 
consumption, however, show clear unfavourable developments,  whereas production patterns 
show positive signs.  

The  Sustainable  Consumption  and  Production  and  Sustainable  Industrial  Policy  (SCP/SIP) 
Action Plan34 will help to improve the environmental performance of products, boost demand 

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http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/climate_action.htm  
Directive 2009/28/EC (OJ L 140, 5.6.2009, p. 16). 
Directive 2009/30/EC (OJ L 140, 5.6.2009, p. 88). 
COM(2008) 433, 8.7.2008. 
COM(2008) 435, 8.7.2008. 
COM(2008) 432, 8.7.2008. 
COM(2008) 436, 8.7.2008. 
Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 (OJ L 140, 5.6.2009, p. 1). 
Directive 2009/33/EC (OJ L 120, 15.5.2009, p. 5). 
COM(2008) 886, 16.12.2008. 
COM(2009) 8, 21.1.2009. 
COM(2008) 779, 13.11.2008. 
COM(2008) 316, 23.5.2008. 
Communication  "A  sustainable  future  for  transport:  Towards  an  integrated,  technology-led  and  user 
friendly system", COM(2009) 279, 17.6.2009. 
COM(2008) 397, 16.7.2008. 

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for  more  sustainable  goods  and  production  technologies  and  foster  innovation.  The  Action 
Plan  was  accompanied  by  proposals  for  a  recast  of  the  Ecodesign  and  Energy  Labelling 
Directives and the revision of the Ecolabel and EMAS Regulations.35 Retailers play a key role 
in influencing consumer choices, and a Forum has been established with the aim of reducing 
the environmental footprint of the retail sector and better informing consumers. 

On  Green  Public  Procurement  (GPP),  important  policy  initiatives  include  the  Energy  Star 
Regulation36 and a Communication on public procurement for a better environment37, which 
proposes  a  voluntary  50%  GPP  target  for  Member  States  to  be  reached  as  from  2010.  The 
Commission services have developed GPP criteria for ten priority product and service groups 
(such as transport, food, construction and office equipment), which Member States have been 
invited to endorse. 

Implementation  of  the  Environmental  Technologies  Action  Plan  (ETAP)  has  progressed,  as 
has  work  on  eco-innovation  measurement.  The  revised  environmental  State  Aid  Guidelines 
provide  a  10%  bonus  on  maximum  aid  intensity  on  eco-innovation  investments38.  The 
Integrated  Pollution  Prevention  and  Control  (IPPC)  Directive39  is  a  key  tool  towards 
sustainable  production  and  eco-innovation,  which  will  be  further  strengthened  with  the 
proposal of a Directive on Industrial Emissions40. 

In  2008,  the  EU's  flagship  chemicals  legislation  REACH  became  operational  with  the  new 
European  Chemicals  Agency  (ECHA)  taking  up  its  work.  New  rules  on  classification, 
labelling and packaging of chemicals have also come into force. 

Conservation and management of natural resources  

Whilst there have been positive developments in the status and use of water and air, human 
activity continues to threaten biodiversity and areas of natural land. 

Global demand for natural resources is growing fast, and will continue to increase due to the 
growth of the population, which is expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050. Measured by 
the  ecological  footprint,  it  is  estimated  that  this  would  be  30%  more  than  the  planet  can 
sustain in the long term41.  

Biodiversity is in decline globally and there is no sign of a reversal or slowing down of this 
trend. The EU is unlikely to meet its 2010 target of halting biodiversity loss42. European fish 
stocks have been overfished for decades43. The annual loss of ecosystem services is estimated 
equivalent  to  €50  billion,  while  by  2050  the  cumulated  welfare  losses  were  estimated 
equivalent to 7% of GDP44. 

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The European Parliament and the Council have already reached agreement on the Ecodesign Directive 
and Ecolabel and EMAS Regulations. 
Regulation (EC) No 106/2008 (OJ L 39, 13.2.2008, p. 1). 
COM(2008) 400, 16.7.2008. 
OJ No C 82, 1.4.2008, p. 1. 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/pollutants/stationary/ippc/key_impl.htm  
COM(2007) 844, 21.12.2007. 
WWF, Living Planet Report 2008. 
Mid-term assessment of implementing the EC Biodiversity Action Plan, COM(2008) 864, 16.12.2008. 
Green Paper: Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, COM(2009) 163, 22.4.2009. 
TEEB (2008) "The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity" – Interim report to COP9 of CBD and 
Mid term Review of the EU Biodiversity Strategy (COM(2008) 864) and EPRG (forthcoming 2009). 

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Compared to previous years, forest ecosystems in the EU are stable but increasingly exposed 
to challenges, such as storms, fires, pests and other harmful impacts related to climate change. 
Soil quality continues to deteriorate with climate change. In general, eco-system services are 
important  in  this  context  as  they  also  help  to  moderate  weather  extremes  and  lessen  the 
impacts of weather and to maintain biodiversity. 

EU  initiatives  include  the  EU  Raw  Materials  Initiative45,  which  proposed  an  integrated 
strategy  to  deal  with  the  various  challenges  related  to  access  to  raw  materials,  including 
secondary  raw  materials  that  can  be  obtained  in  the  EU  through  more  and  better  recycling. 
The  International  Panel  for  Sustainable  Resource  Management46  was  inaugurated  in 
November  2007  by  UNEP  and  the  Commission.  New  legislation  on  marketing  seed  and 
propagating material has been prepared to contribute to halting the loss of biodiversity47. 

The revised Waste Framework Directive48 is an important stepping stone to help the EU move 
towards  better  management  of  material  resources  and  improved  resource  efficiency.  It 
clarifies  the  basic  concepts  such  as  the  waste  hierarchy,  the  prevention  of  waste,  and  the 
incorporation  of  life-cycle  thinking.  The  Directive  lays  down  important  targets  for  the 
recycling  of  waste  for  the  year  2020:  50%  for  household  waste  recycling  and  70%  for 
construction and demolition waste.  

Member States have taken specific actions to protect biodiversity through the implementation 
of the Birds and Habitats directives. However, the completing of the Natura 2000 network is 
pending, as well as appropriate management for species and habitats.  

Key  action  on  water  management  includes  continued  implementation  of  the  Water 
Framework  Directive  and  the  Community  policy  on  water  scarcity  and  droughts49.  The 
objective of the Directive, achieving good environmental status of all waters by 2015, poses 
an important challenge as the majority of water bodies in the EU have been identified as at 
risk  of  failing  to  meet  the  objectives  of  the  directive  if  no  action  is  taken.  The  Water 
Framework Directive has been completed by way of a directive setting environmental quality 
standards for a number of priority chemicals50.  

The Integrated Maritime Policy, launched in October 2007, sets a common framework for all 
EU maritime policy issues and introduced cross-cutting tools to ensure that use of the marine 
environment (oceans, seas and coastlines) is genuinely sustainable. There has been significant 
progress  on  sectoral  policy  initiatives  in  the  maritime  sphere51.  Sea  basin  strategies  for  the 
Arctic  Ocean,  the  Baltic  Sea  and  the  Mediterranean  will  address  the  specific  challenges  of 
these bodies of water.  

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COM(2008) 699, 4.11.2008. 
www.unep.fr/scp/rpanel/  
http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/propagation/conservation_varieties/index_en.htm  
Directive 2008/98/EC (OJ L 312, 22.11.2008, p. 3). 
COM(2007) 414, 18.7.2007 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/quantity/scarcity_en.htm 
Directive 2008/105/EC (OJ L 384, 24.12.2008, p. 84). 
Marine  Strategy  Framework  Directive  (Directive  2008/56/EC,  OJ  L  164,  25.6.2008,  p.  19),  the 
European  Strategy  for  Marine  and  Maritime  Research  (COM(2008)  534,  3.9.2008),  the  Common 
Maritime Space without Barriers (COM(2009) 10, 21.1.2009), the Communication on Offshore Wind 
Energy (COM(2008) 768, 13.11.2008), the White Paper on Adaptation to Climate Change (COM(2009) 
147, 1.4.2009), and the Strategy on Ship Dismantling (COM(2008) 767, 19.11.2008). 

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The Green Paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)52 outlines the state of 
Europe's fisheries and analyses the current CFP. It triggers and encourages public debate on 
how to ensure the long-term sustainability and viability of fisheries. 

Public health 

The  overall  development  of  health  in  the  EU  is  rather  mixed.  The  number  of  years  that 
Europeans  are  expected  to  live  in  a  healthy  condition  is  slowly  but  steadily  increasing. 
Improvements in health are visible in falling death rates due to chronic diseases and suicides. 
There  are  also  fewer  serious  accidents  at  work.  However,  there  is  more  exposure  to  air 
pollution and more production of toxic chemicals, and new challenges emerge. 

The  adoption  of  the  EU  Health  Strategy53  in  October  2007  delivered  a  holistic  approach  to 
achieving progress and sustainability in the lives of EU citizens. 

Action  to  promote  good  health,  reduce  health  inequalities  and  improve  protection  against 
health  threats  has  included  work  on  major  and  chronic  diseases,  such  as  cancer  and  rare 
diseases.  Several  policy  initiatives  focused  on  mental  health,  alcohol,  obesity  and  tobacco, 
and on combating HIV/AIDS. The European Community Health Indicators (ECHI)54 provide 
information  on  health  status,  including  the  Healthy  Life  Years  (HLY)  indicator,  and  on 
lifestyle-related determinants of health and environmental pollution. 

A  new  legislative  framework  on  the  sustainable  use  of  pesticides  has  been  agreed  by  the 
European Parliament and the Council55. It will represent a significant improvement in terms 
of  environmental  protection  and  safety.  The  existing  Community  Plant  Health  Regime 
(CPHR) is currently evaluated and updated56. 

The new EU regime for the authorisation of feed additives57 is one of the driving forces for 
innovation in the feed sector and improvement of the feed conversion ratio. The Action Plan 
implementing  the  new  Animal  Health  Strategy58  includes  several  initiatives  to  maintain  a 
sustainable high level of animal and public health standards. The work on the protection and 
welfare of animals has progressed. 

The Commission also contributes to better health through EU-funded research and advanced 
e-health services, e.g. by fostering the use of ICT in European health systems.  

In 2009, the Commission launched a  Youth Health Initiative, which sets out to improve the 
health  and  well-being  of  young  people.  The  Commission  also  continued  to  work  with  the 
World  Health  Organisation  (WHO)  on  issues  such  as  climate  change,  indoor  air  quality, 
tobacco control and injury prevention.  

52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
58 

COM(2009) 163, 22.4.2009 http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/reform/ 
COM(2007) 630, 23.10.2007. 
http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_information/dissemination/echi/echi_en.htm 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ppps/home.htm 
http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/strategy/index_en.htm  
http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/animalnutrition/feedadditives/comm_register_feed_additives_1831-03.pdf 
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/strategy/actionplan_en.htm  

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Social inclusion, demography and migration 

The number of jobless households, income inequality and long-term unemployment have all 
been  reduced,  but  the  number  of  working  poor  and  the  overall  risk  of  poverty  have  not 
changed. The target of having at least half of older workers in employment by 2010 is likely 
to be achieved but the target of delaying the average age of retirement to 65 years by 2010 is 
unlikely to be achieved. Demographic trends indicate that the working-age population in the 
EU-27  will  start  to  fall  by  2013,  and  will  decrease  by  around  39  million  (12  %)  by  2050 
compared to 200859.  

An important challenge remains to make the most of Europe’s demographic potential: raising 
employment  rates,  productivity  and  successful  integration  of  migrants.  Further  efforts  are 
needed to combat discrimination against migrants. 

Policy  progress  includes  a  Commission  Recommendation  on  the  active  inclusion  of  people 
excluded  from  the  labour  market  in  October  2008.  Member  States'  reforms  in  the  fields  of 
social  inclusion  and  social  protection  have  been  promoted  within  the  Open  Method  of 
Coordination.  The  EU  Structural  Funds  support  Member  States  in  their  efforts  to  tackle 
poverty and social exclusion. Over the 2007-2013 period, some €10 billion is being allocated 
for this purpose. 

The  second  Demography  Report60  was  published  in  conjunction  with  the  European 
Demographic  Forum  in  2008.  A  European  Alliance  for  Families  and  a  new  government 
advisory group on demographic issues were created.  

The  Commission's  2009  Ageing  Report61  takes  an  in-depth  look  at  the  economic  and 
budgetary impact of an ageing population over the long-term until 2060. 

As part of the Action Plan on Ageing Well in the Information Society, an Action Programme 
for Research in Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) has been adopted62. Some €150 million has 
been allocated to the programme. 

On  migration,  the  EU  is  also  working  to  improve  the  management  of  migration  flows,  to 
coordinate  national  integration  policies  and  to  combat  illegal  migration.  As  part  of  the 
implementation  of  the  policy  plan  on  legal  migration,  legislative  proposals  have  been 
presented to harmonise the admission procedures, criteria and rights of certain categories of 
third-country  nationals63.  The  'EU  Blue  Card'  for  highly  qualified  migrants  has  become  a 
reality64.  The  fight  against  illegal  immigration  has  been  stepped  up  through  the  adoption  of 
the "Return Directive" and a Directive providing for sanctions against employers of illegally-
staying third-country nationals65.  

Handbooks on integration for policy-makers and practitioners have been produced and a one-
stop-shop  European  website  on  integration66  and  a  European  Integration  Forum  established. 

59 
60 
61 
62 
63 
64 
65 
66 

Source: Eurostat 
SEC(2008) 2911, 21.11.2008. 
COM(2009)180,29.4.2009-http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/thematic_articles/article14761_en.htm  
Decision No 742/2008/EC (OJ L 201, 30.7.2008, p. 49). 
Directive 2009/50/EC (OJ L 155, 18.6.2009, p. 17), COM(2007) 638, 23.10.2007. 
Directive 2009/50/EC (OJ L 155, 18.6.2009, p. 17). 
Directive 2009/52/EC (OJ L 168, 30.6.2009, p. 24). 
http://ec.europa.eu/ewsi/en/index.cfm  

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Member States’ efforts are being supported by the European Fund for Integration, with €825 
million allocated for the period 2007-2013. 

The Communication on a Common Immigration Policy for Europe67 and the European Pact 
on  Immigration  and  Asylum68  laid  the  ground  for  a  coherent  approach  in  the  future.  The 
European Council has also decided, for its part, to hold an annual debate on immigration and 
asylum policies, starting in June 2010.  

Global poverty and sustainable development challenges 

In 2008, the EU reversed the downward trend in ODA flows registered in 2007. Despite this 
upward trend, the outlook for the coming years appears rather problematic as many Member 
States  are  far  removed  from  the  2010  individual  milestones69.  Most  other  indicators  on 
globalisation  of 
trade,  financing  for  sustainable  development  and  global  resource 
management, display favourable trends.  

Engaging  third-country  partners  to  address  global  sustainable  development  challenges  is 
indispensable.  The  EU  continues  to  cooperate  with  third  countries  and  regions,  both 
bilaterally  and  in  the  context  of  multilateral  processes,  such  as  the  G8,  the  United  Nations 
Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), UNEP and other relevant UN bodies, and 
the  OECD.  The  meeting  of  the  CSD  in  May  2009  agreed  that  to  achieve  long-term  food 
security, there is a need for future policies to take into account environmental concerns, such 
as water demand in agriculture, deforestation, soil degradation and climate change adaptation 
needs, employing science-based approaches and local indigenous knowledge.  

High  level  dialogue  on  the  environment  has  been  established  with  numerous  countries, 
notably Brazil, China, India, Russia, Mexico and South Africa. Similar dialogue already exists 
with Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States. More expanded cooperation frameworks 
have been developed with a number of countries, such as India and China. Furthermore, Joint 
Declarations  on  Climate  Change  have  been  agreed  with  the  Caribbean  Forum,  the  Pacific 
Islands Forum and the African Union, and a Joint ACP-EU Declaration was signed.  

Dialogue  and  cooperation  with  European  Neighbourhood  Policy  partners  promotes 
sustainable development objectives. In this respect, regional cooperation has been reinforced 
through the Union for the Mediterranean, the Black Sea Synergy and the Eastern Partnership. 

In the development cooperation area, initiatives contributing to the objectives of sustainable 
development  include  a  Communication  on  an  EU  strategy  for  supporting  disaster  risk 
reduction  in  developing  countries70,  a  Strategic  European  Framework  for  International 
Science  and  Technology  Cooperation71,  a  Staff  Working  Document  on  Improving 
environmental  integration  in  development  cooperation72,  and  agreements  within  the  Forest 
Law  Enforcement,  Governance  and  Trade  (FLEGT)  initiative.  These  include  a  Voluntary 
Partnership Agreement concluded with Congo Brazzaville and negotiations with several other 
countries.  

67 
68 
69 
70 
71 
72 

COM(2008) 359, 17.6.2008. 
Council document 13440/08; Commission Communication COM(2009) 266, 10.6.2009. 
COM(2009) 160, 8.4.2009. 
COM(2009) 84, 23.2.2009. 
COM(2008) 588, 24.9.2008. 
SEC(2009) 555, 21.4.2009. 

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Education and training 

The prevalence of low educational attainment has diminished in all age groups. However, the 
increase in people involved in life-long learning activities and the reduction in the number of 
early school-leavers are not happening fast enough to meet the specific targets. 

Education  and  training  build  the  critical  foundation  for  sustainable  development.  The 
Commission encourages Member States in their efforts to develop more strategic approaches 
to  sharing  knowledge  and  good  practice  in  a  bid  to  stimulate  Education  for  Sustainable 
Development (ESD). A Commission Inventory of innovative practices in Member States and 
EEA countries highlights the importance of ESD73. 

The Commission's "Updated strategic framework for European cooperation in education and 
training"74 will guide European level cooperation in this field to 2020. The "Lifelong Learning 
Programme  2007-2013"  is  a  prime  tool  for  developing  the  role  of  education  and  training 
systems.  

Research and development 

According  to  Eurostat  data,  the  share  of  gross  domestic  expenditure  on  R&D  in  GDP 
decreased between 2000 and 2007 from 1.85% to 1.83%. This indicator thus shows a move 
away from the EU target of 3% by 2010.  

One  of  the  key  objectives  of  the  Seventh  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and 
Technological Development for the period of 2007-2013 (FP7) is to contribute to sustainable 
development.  In  2007  and  2008,  around  44%  of  the  total  budget  devoted  to  cooperative 
research  was  allocated  to  sustainable  development-related  projects.  Two  of  the  Joint 
Technology Initiatives (JTI) established under FP7, "Clean Sky" and the "Hydrogen and Fuel 
Cells",  are  also  linked  to  sustainability.  The  total  EU  contribution  amounts  to  €1.3  billion. 
Moreover,  in  the  European  economic  recovery  plan,  the  Commission  proposed  three  major 
public-private  partnerships  (PPPs)  around  three  key  issues  for  sustainability:  "green  cars", 
"energy-efficient  buildings",  and  "factories  of  the  future".  The  Commission  is  striving  to 
ensure  that  the  whole  European  Research  Area  is  responsive  to  sustainable  development 
objectives.  The  challenge  ahead  is  to  build  on  the  promising  first  steps  and  to  enhance  the 
contribution of research to sustainable development. 

Financing and economic instruments 

In the area of cohesion policy, the EU invests in action to promote sustainable development 
by  integrating  sustainable  development  initiatives  into  national  and  regional  development 
strategies.  In  the  2007-2013  programming  period,  this  policy  has  continued  to  support  key 
challenges  and  cross-cutting  themes.  For  example,  in  the  period  2007-13,  €105  billion,  or 
30%  of  the  total  €347  billion  allocation  for  Cohesion  Policy  Funds,  will  be  spent  on  the 
environment. Cohesion policy also promotes the development of policy mechanisms, such as 
the programming approach and multi-level governance, that support sustainable development 
within  programme  management  structures  and  encourage  regions  to  pursue  sustainable 
development. 

73 
74 

http://ec.europa.eu/education/more-information/doc/sustdev_en.pdf  
COM(2008) 865, 16.12.2008; endorsed by the Conclusions of the European Council of 12.5.2009. 

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There is scope for further integration of the goals and principles of the EU SDS into cohesion 
policy to enable it to address the new sustainable development challenges faced by the EU, 
e.g. challenges of demographic change and climate change. Cohesion policy can help both to 
mitigate, particularly through supporting the shift to a low-carbon economy, and to adapt. 

The  Commission  has  been  mainstreaming  the  progressive  removal  of  environmentally 
harmful subsidies into its sectoral policies, e.g. through the reform of fisheries policy and as 
part of the CAP health check.  

The  Commission  has  also  adopted  new  State  aid  guidelines  on  environmental  protection75, 
which will strike a balance between delivering larger environmental benefits and minimising 
distortion  of  competition,  thus  helping  Member  States  to  introduce  the  right  policy 
instruments and finance eco-innovation.  

The  public  consultation  launched  via  the  2007  Green  Paper  on  the  use  of  market-based 
instruments  for  environmental  and  related  policy  purposes  showed  that  there  was  a 
considerable interest in further use of market-based instruments76.  

4. 

TAKING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INTO THE FUTURE  

Three  years  into  the  implementation  of  the  EU  SDS  is  a  good  time  to  reflect  on  how  the 
strategy could be taken into the future.  

At EU level, sustainable development is primarily promoted and monitored in the context of 
individual  EU  policies,  and  the  EU  SDS  itself  plays  a  central  role  in  promoting  the  overall 
objective of sustainable development. The EU SDS has also been instrumental in developing 
sustainable  development  strategies  at  national  and  regional  levels.  Today,  almost  all  EU 
Member States have their own national sustainable development strategies (NSDS) in place, 
in  line  with  international  recommendations  of  best  practice77.  A  recently  published  study, 
commissioned  by  the  Committee  of  the  Regions78,  provides  a  detailed  analysis  of  these 
national strategies.  

Various stakeholders have found it difficult to understand why there are several cross-cutting 
priority  strategies  at  EU  level,  such  as  the Lisbon  Strategy  for  growth  and  jobs  and  the  EU 
SDS. Other examples of cross-cutting strategies are the Climate Change and Energy Package 
and  the  Integrated  Maritime  Policy.  The  Lisbon  Strategy  is  a  dynamic  strategy  in  which 
sustainability  has  been  taken  on  board  (climate  change,  energy,  financial  and  social 
sustainability).  The  EU  SDS  is  a  long-term  strategy  which  provides  a  good  framework  for 
guiding  and  reporting  on  long-term  broad  developments  and  promoting  forward-looking 
reflection  on  sustainability,  but  it  also  requires  short-term  policy  action.  However,  merging 
cross-cutting  strategies  does  not  seem  feasible  given  the  different  roles  they  fulfil.  The 

75 
76 

77 

78 

OJ No C 82, 1.4.2008, p. 1. 
SEC (2009) 53, 16.1.2009. 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enveco/pdf/analyse_doc.pdf  
National SDS coordinators provide a link between the EU SDS and NSDS. The European Sustainable 
Development Network (ESDN) facilitates the exchange of good practices and experiences with Member 
States. 
the  ESDN  website:  http://www.sd-
available  on 
Information  on  NSDS 
network.eu/?k=country%20profiles 
Contributions of the Regional and Local Authorities to Sustainable Development Strategies, Committee 
of the Regions, 2009 (Author: RIMAS). 

is 

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complementary  nature  of  the  SDS  and  the  Lisbon  Strategy  were  set  out  in  the  renewed  EU 
SDS79. Nevertheless, there may still be room for further clarification of the specific role of the 
EU SDS in relation to other EU strategies and for it to be streamlined accordingly.  

In this context, the following points could be considered with regard to the monitoring of the 
strategy:  

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

Greater synergy with the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs, which will be 
reviewed in 2010, and other cross-cutting EU strategies. There could also be 
better  coordination  and  linkage  between  the  policy  areas  covered  by  the 
Strategies and their follow-up.  

The strategy could be further streamlined or, alternatively, the SDS could be 
refocused  on  its  overarching  nature,  and  provide  the  general  framework  for 
policy-making, in line with the guiding principles set out in 2006. 

The  strategy  could  facilitate  the  exchange  of  best  practice  in  relation  to 
innovative approaches in the Member States.  

In  order  to  ensure  more  efficient  monitoring  and  enforcement  by  Member 
States, mechanisms used in the Lisbon strategy could also be used to monitor 
the  implementation  of  EU  SDS.  They  would  include  jointly  identified 
objectives,  measuring  instruments  (indicators,  guidelines),  benchmarking 
(comparison of Member States' performance) and emulation to replicate and 
scale up best practices .  Measures in  support of both strategies, with visible 
positive  results  on  growth,  jobs  and  the  environment,  could  be  identified. 
Mainstreaming  eco-innovation,  resource  efficiency  and  green  growth  could 
be a leading theme. 

(5)  Monitoring  the  SDS  is  based  on  the  Sustainable  Development  Indicators 
coordinated by Eurostat. SDIs are a comprehensive monitoring tool, although 
some  important  indicators  still  need  to  be  developed.  In  a  bid  to  add  to  the 
SDIs  and  to  key  information  on  SD  challenges  more  effectively,  the 
Commission is exploring the possibilities of developing an SD scoreboard.  

(6) 

New  challenges  to  SD  are  emerging,  which  are  currently  not  included  or 
covered  only  marginally  in  the  EU  SDS.  They  include  energy  security, 
adaptation  to  climate  change80,  food  security,  land  use,  sustainability  of 
public  finances  and  the  external  dimension  of  sustainable  development.  As 
regards  the  external  dimension,  priority  areas  should  remain  climate  change 
and energy together with achieving the Millennium Development Goals. 

In particular, the strategy could focus on the EU's long-term goals in crucial areas, notably by:  

–  Contributing  to  a  rapid  shift  to  a  low-carbon  and  low-input  economy,  based  on 
energy  and  resource-efficient  technologies  and  sustainable  transport  and  shifts 
towards sustainable consumption behaviour;  

79 
80 

Council of the European Union document No 19117/06, 9.6.2006. 
COM(2009) 147, 1.4.2009. 

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–  intensifying  environmental  efforts  for  the  protection  of  biodiversity,  water  and 
other  natural  resources.  Evidence  shows  that  the  destruction  of  biodiversity  is 
continuing  at  a  worrying  rate.  Degradation  of  ecosystems  not  only  reduces  the 
quality of our lives and the lives of future generations, it also stands in the way of 
sustainable, long-term economic development;  

–  promoting social inclusion. The most vulnerable in society are at risk of being the 
most badly hit by the economic crisis and its effects may linger longest for them 
unless effective measures are provided.  

–  Strengthening  the  international  dimension  of  sustainable  development  and 

intensifying efforts to combat global poverty.  

5. 

CONCLUSIONS 

This Communication takes stock of progress with EU policy in the areas covered by the EU 
SDS and provides input for reflection and debate on sustainable development. This overview 
highlights  the  fact  that,  despite  considerable  efforts  to  include  action  for  sustainable 
development in major EU policy areas, unsustainable trends persist and the EU still needs to 
intensify its efforts. As the example of climate change shows, taking actions early brings more 
and earlier benefits at lower costs as acting later. 

It  should  be  noted  that  the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  is  preparing  an 
exploratory opinion on the future of EU SDS for autumn 2009, which could further contribute 
to the debate.  

These  and  other  elements,  as  well  as  the  active  contribution  of  stakeholders,  will  provide 
input for a future decision on whether to launch a comprehensive review of the EU SDS, as 
originally  anticipated  in  2006.  A  review  of  this  kind  could  provide  the  basis  for  further 
streamlining of the EU SDS, defining its role more clearly in EU policy-making, focusing it 
on the areas where progress is most needed, and improving its governance. 

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