REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals across the world: The 2019 Joint Synthesis Report of the European Union and its Member States
Date: 2019-05-10
Institutions: Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, European Commission
Subjects: civil society, climate change policy, developing countries, development aid, human rights, international cooperation, poverty, social policy, sustainable development, the EU's international role

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 10.5.2019  COM(2019) 232 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals across the world: The 2019 Joint Synthesis Report of the European Union and its Member States  {SWD(2019) 176 final}  
 
 
Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals across the world: 

The 2019 Joint Synthesis Report of the European Union and its Member States 

Part 1: Introduction 

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development1 (the 2030 Agenda), with its 
17  Sustainable  Development  Goals  (SDGs),  is  the  international  blueprint  for  poverty 
eradication  and  sustainable  development.  It  therefore  has  immense  importance  as  the 
shared  agenda  around  which  all  countries  must  act  to  meet  the  needs  of  people  within 
planetary  boundaries.  The  European  Union  and  its  Member  States  are  fully  committed  to 
implementing  the  2030  Agenda  themselves  and  to  advancing  its  implementation  globally 
through  the  full  range  of  their  external  actions.  The  2017  European  Consensus  on 
Development2  (the  Consensus)  provides  a  new  common  policy  framework  for  the 
development  cooperation  of  the  EU  and 
in  support  of  this 
implementation. 

its  Member  States, 

This report provides a short summary of how the EU and its Member States are supporting 
the  implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda  in  developing  countries  through  development 
cooperation.  It  responds  to  a  specific  commitment  in  the  Consensus,  to  produce  such  a 
report in 2019 and every four years thereafter. It focuses on the period since the adoption of 
the  2030  Agenda  by  the  United  Nations  General  Assembly  in  September  2015  and  is  a 
contribution  to  EU  reporting  at  the  2019  High  Level  Political  Forum  on  Sustainable 
Development.  

This report shows progress made by the EU and Member States so far and how they intend 
to  continue  their  efforts.  It  demonstrates  that  they  have  collectively  contributed  to 
implementation of all SDGs in all developing regions of the world. The EU and its Member 
States  have  worked  together  closely  to  produce  the  report,  in  consultation  with  other 
partners, including the European Parliament and civil society. The Staff Working Document 
accompanying  this  report  complements  it,  by  providing  detailed  information  on  progress 
made  under  each  SDG,  including  specific  examples  of  action  from  the  EU  and  its  Member 
States. 

The EU and its Member States have consistently and strongly supported:  

Part 2: EU values and principles 

  the multilateral, rules-based global order, with the United Nations at its core;  
  a life  of dignity for all that reconciles economic prosperity and efficiency, peaceful 

societies, social inclusion and environmental responsibility; and  

  the rule of law, democracy and the principles of equality and solidarity. 

The approach of the  EU and its Member States to global challenges fully reflects the 2030 

1 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld/publication 
2 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/european-consensus-on-development-final-
20170626_en.pdf 

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Agenda, together with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development3 and 
the Paris Agreement on Climate Change4. Implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the other 
agreements  is  central  to  EU  external  action.  The  Global  Strategy  for  the  EU’s  Foreign  and 
Security  Policy5  provides  an  overall  vision  for  joined-up,  credible  and  responsive  EU 
engagement  in  the  world.  The  aim  is  to  implement  the  SDGs  in  a  comprehensive  and 
strategic manner, addressing interlinkages between them and taking account of  impacts of 
the EU’s and its Member States’ actions at all levels. The EU and its Member States are also 
committed to working together in a more coherent and coordinated way in support of the 
2030 Agenda.  

The EU and its Member States have implemented a rights-based approach to development 
cooperation,  encompassing  all  human  rights.  They  have  promoted 
inclusion  and 
participation, non-discrimination, equality and equity, transparency and accountability. They 
have sought to ensure that ‘no-one is left behind’, wherever people live, and regardless of 
ethnicity,  gender,  opinion,  age,  disability,  religion  or  belief,  sexual  orientation  and  gender 
identity, migration status or other factors.  

Gender equality is at the core of EU values and enshrined in its legal and political framework. 
Women and girls are key agents of development and change. Gender equality is crucial for 
sustainable development.  

Gender equality  

The EU and its Member States have promoted the full realisation and the full enjoyment by 
all women and girls of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including ensuring girls’ and 
women’s  physical  and  psychological  integrity,  working  to  eradicate  human  trafficking, 
promoting the social and economic rights of girls and women, and strengthening their voice 
and  participation  in  decision-making.  This  is  exemplified  by  the  Spotlight  Initiative6,  the 
multi-year global partnership between the EU and the UN, launched in 2017 and focused on 
eliminating  all  forms  of  violence  against  women  and  girls.  The  EU  has  contributed  €500 
million  to  the  Initiative  for  comprehensive  country  programming  in  a  limited  number  of 
countries, complemented by regional programmes. The EU and its Member States have also 
worked  to  empower  women  as  a  means  to  enhance  business  productivity  and  catalyse 
economic  growth,  social  cohesion  and  social  justice.    In  2017,  they  committed  over  €25 
billion in support to gender equality7. 

Part 3: Progress against the 2030 Agenda 

The  primary  objective  of  the  development  cooperation  policy  of  the  EU  and  its  Member 
States is poverty eradication. To implement the SDGs, they have accelerated efforts to tackle 
poverty and social exclusion, while supporting sustainable growth.  

3 https://www.un.org/esa/ffd/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/AAAA_Outcome.pdf 
4 https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement 
5 https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/eugs_review_web_0.pdf 
6 https://www.un.org/en/spotlight-initiative/ 
7 OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) 

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The reduction in extreme poverty is one of the global success stories of the past 30 years. 
However,  significant  challenges  remain,  including  in  least  developed  countries  (LDCs)  and 
conflict-affected  countries,  particularly  in  Sub-Saharan  Africa.  In  addition,  the  challenge  of 
inequality has increased within many countries. 

Section 3.1: summary of progress on the 4Ps (People, Planet, Prosperity and Peace) 

People 

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  strengthened  their  efforts  for  human  development. 
They have pursued: 

  universal health coverage;  

  universal access to quality education and training;  

  adequate and sustainable social protection;  

  decent work for all within a healthy environment; and  

  an end to hunger and malnutrition.  

For  example,  they  have  supported  over  100  million  people  in  agriculture  and  food  and 
nutrition  security  and  also  helped  over  100  million  gain  better  access  to  health  and 
education8. They have supported inclusive life-long learning and equitable quality education, 
including  in  crisis  situations,  and  stepped  up  efforts  to  ensure  that  everyone  has  the 
knowledge,  skills,  capabilities  and  rights  to  enjoy  a  life  in  dignity,  engaged  in  society  and 
contributing to their communities. 

The  2030  Agenda  brought  a  new  focus  on  inequality,  including  the  principle  of  leaving  no 
one  behind.  Since  2015,  the  EU  and  Member  States  have  tackled  inequality  in  partner 
countries including by support for inclusive growth, promoting social protection systems and 
social inclusion, and working with partner countries on progressive tax systems.  

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  also  dedicated  intense  efforts to  developing  effective 
migration policies with partner countries. Through this work, they have 

  promoted stability in fragile states;  
  enhanced government capacities to deliver essential services;  
  promoted environmentally sustainable models for growth; and  
  started to tackle the high cost of remittances.  

They have promoted the dignity, resilience and capabilities of forcibly displaced persons and 
their inclusion in the economic and social life of host communities. 

8 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/annual-report-2018-hres-20190212_en.pdf 

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Mobility and migration 

Migration  is  a  global  challenge.  Managing  it  well  requires  shared  global  responsibility  and 
long-term  cooperation.  The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  supported  third  countries  of 
origin,  transit  and  destination,  in  order  to  support  overall  well-managed  policies  for  safe, 
orderly  and  regular  migration.  The  EU  has  fully  embedded  migration  in  relations  with  its 
external  partners. Development  programmes  have  contributed  to  addressing  the  root 
causes of irregular migration, for instance through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa9, 
and through support for conflict prevention, good governance and job creation.  

Planet 

The effects of climate change seriously threaten development gains, stability and prosperity 
and the environment worldwide. Climate impacts are contributing to the loss of livelihoods, 
forced  displacement  and  conflict.  Increasing  resilience  to  climate  change  is  essential  to 
deliver  a  more  peaceful  and  secure  world.  Financial  flows  and  investments  should  be 
redirected towards climate-neutral technologies and businesses.  

More than 70% of the world’s poor live in rural areas10 and depend directly on biodiversity 
and  ecosystem  services  for  their  subsistence.  However,  these  systems  are  under  severe 
threat.  Better  management  of  natural  resources  plays  a  pivotal  role  in  addressing 
loss  and  climate  change  while  boosting  businesses  competiveness  and 
biodiversity 
sustainable  job  creation.  Since  2015,  the  EU  has  implemented  the  “Biodiversity  for  Life11” 
initiative to  

  protect ecosystems;  
  combat wildlife crime; and  
  promote a green economy in developing countries.  

Many  EU  Member  States  have  included  environmental  protection,  resource  efficiency  and 
climate change as integral parts of their development cooperation strategies, for instance in 
programmes  to  protect  ecosystems,  reduce  pollution,  generate  green  jobs  and  promote 
sustainable consumption and production and sustainable urbanisation.  

The EU has worked to promote the  wider take-up of its own sustainable energy practices, 
while taking account of specific circumstances in developing countries. By realising synergies 
between  the  Paris  Agreement  on  Climate  Change  and  the  2030  Agenda,  it  has  avoided 
duplication, lowered administrative costs and promoted win-win approaches.  

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  supported  developing  and  emerging  countries  in  the 
shift  to  a  circular  economy  and  the  preparation  and  implementation  of  their  Nationally 
Determined  Contributions  under  the  Paris  Agreement.  The  EU  allocated  €3.7  billion  of 
funding to sustainable energy from 2014-2020 and is on course to achieve  

9 https://ec.europa.eu/trustfundforafrica/content/homepage_en 
10 Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2018: Piecing Together the Poverty Puzzle. World Bank, Washington, 
D.C. World Bank 
11 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/eu-biodiversity-life-b4life-flagship-initiative-brochure_en 

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  energy access for about 40 million people;  
  additional renewable energy capacity of 6.5 gigawatts; and  
  annual CO2 emissions savings of around 15 million tonnes through energy efficiency 

measures12. 

Sustainable energy and climate change 

In 2017, the EU and its Member States contributed over €23 billion13 to support developing 
countries  in  their  efforts  to  tackle  and  adapt  to  climate  change.  This  includes  €2.6  billion 
from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the EU’s Bank, which is committed to dedicating 
35%  of  its  activity  outside  the  EU  to  climate  action  by  2020.  Partner  countries  have 
increasingly  addressed  sustainable  energy  as  a  cross-cutting  issue  to  implement  the  2030 
Agenda  and  the  Paris  Agreement  and  as  an  enabler  for  economic  growth  and  sustainable 
development.  The  EU’s  Global  Climate  Change  Alliance  Plus  (GCCA+)  flagship  initiative14  is 
helping the world's most vulnerable countries to address climate change through more than 
70 projects. 

Prosperity 

Since 2015, the EU and its Member States have promoted inclusive sustainable growth and 
decent  jobs  in  developing  countries,  as  well  as  social  protection.  The  priority  has  been  to 
support  partner  countries  in  developing  policy  frameworks  for  inclusive  and  sustainable 
economic development. Action taken includes: 

  budget support  to enable governments to mobilise domestic resources  and utilise 

them effectively;  

  blending,  budgetary  guarantees  and  other  innovative  financial  instruments  to 

mobilise public lending and private investment; and  

  aid for trade to help developing countries to access the benefits of expanded trade 

with the EU.  

Since  2016,  job  creation  has  become  an  explicit  objective  of  budget  support.  The  EU  has 
intensified the use of guarantees to lower investment risk for sustainable development and 
job  creation,  coupling  them  with  technical  assistance  and,  where  appropriate,  budget 
support. 

12 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/staff-working-document-energy-
20180222_en.pdf 
13 OECD Creditor Reporting System 
14 http://www.gcca.eu/ 

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Investment and trade 

The  European  External  Investment  Plan15  is  an  example  of  a  multi-pronged  instrument  to 
promote  sustainable  development  through  creating  prosperity  and  jobs,  particularly  for 
women and youth.  By 2018, it had invested €3.7 billion, which is set to leverage over €37.1 
billion of extra public and private investment to improve economic and social development 
in Africa and in the European Neighbourhood. This is well on the way to the target of €44 
billion of investment to be leveraged by 2020. The EIP is being implemented giving special 
attention  to  countries  identified  as  experiencing  fragility  or  conflict,  LDCs  and  heavily 
indebted  poor  countries.  The  EU’s  updated  Aid  for  Trade  Strategy16  of  2017  is  helping 
partner  countries,  particularly  LDCs,  to  increase  benefits  from  EU  trade  agreements  and 
unilateral preference schemes. 

Peace 

Many regions of the world face challenges whether from open conflict or societal violence 
and tensions, threatening human rights and democracy. The EU and its Member States have 
taken an integrated approach to conflict prevention and peacebuilding, encompassing: 

  early warning and analysis;  
  humanitarian response guided by the humanitarian principles17;  
  conflict  mediation  and  resolution,  addressing  root  causes  of  conflict  and  post-

conflict recovery; and  

  promoting the essential role of women in these processes.  

Since  2015,  they  have  enhanced  their  focus  on  conflict-affected  and  fragile  states.  They 
have  contributed  to  building  international  peace  and  security  through  operations  and 
training,  with  a  strong  emphasis  on  prevention  and  mediation.  They  have  also  tackled 
climate  change  and  environmental  degradation,  which  are  among  the  biggest  emerging 
threats to peace and security. 

The EU and its Member States have been amongst the strongest supporters of democracy, 
human  rights,  good  governance,  and  the  rule  of  law.  They  have  helped  governments  to 
provide  essential  services  and  access  to  justice  and  promote  gender  equality.  They  have 
tackled the shrinking space for civic and political debate and participation, by strengthening 
civil society. They provided almost €30 billion in support for participatory development and 
good governance in 2017. 

15 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/eu-external-investment-plan_en 
16https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/com_2017_667_f1_communication_from_commi
ssion_to_inst_en_v3_p1_954389.pdf 
17 Humanity, neutrality, impartiality, independence  

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Democracy, the rule of law and human rights and good governance 

The EU's commitment to democracy, the rule of law, human rights and good governance is 
reflected  in  its  current  Action  Plan  on  human  rights  and  democracy18.  The  Plan  has 
strengthened  democracy  with  a  particular  focus  on  representative  and  participatory 
democracy,  political  pluralism,  transparency  and  accountability. 
It  has  supported 
parliaments,  political  parties  and  civil  society  and  has  focused  on  tackling  negative  trends 
such as disinformation campaigns, the abuse of big data and decreasing trust in democratic 
institutions. 

Section 3.2: making better progress through integrated approaches 

Working to achieve several SDGs together 

Since 2015, the EU and its Member States have increasingly taken an interlinked approach to 
development cooperation. Programmes aimed at ensuring human security in sectors such as 
agriculture have contributed across a range of SDGs by: 

  improving productivity;  
  generating jobs;  
  promoting more efficient use of water and energy; and  
  safeguarding biodiversity, thereby contributing across a range of SDGs.  

Under  the  Africa-EU  Partnership19,  ministerial  dialogue  is  underway  to  identify  common 
approaches on agriculture for instance to support sustainability and youth.  

More of these coordinated approaches, and better reporting on co-benefits, are needed.   

Youth 
In  order  to  support  youth  as  agents  of  change,  the  EU  and  its  Member  States  have 
supported the active participation of youth in peace processes, contributed to the creation 
of  employment  opportunities,  including  for  young  women,  supported  effective  policies  in 
education  and  vocational  training,  enhanced  access  for  youth  to  digital  technologies  and 
services and strengthened the rights of young people and their engagement in public affairs. 
The  Africa-Europe  Alliance  for  Sustainable  Investment  and  Jobs20,  launched  in  September 
2018,  aims  at  creating  sustainable  employment  opportunities  in  Africa  with  a  particular 
focus  on  equipping  women  and  young  people  with  the  skills  to  match  labour  market 
demand.  

18https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/ 
eu_action_plan_on_human_rights_and_democracy_en_2.pdf 
19 https://africa-eu-partnership.org/en/partnership-and-joint-africa-eu-strategy 
20 https://www.africa-eu-
partnership.org/sites/default/files/documents/en_communication_on_a_new_alliance.pdf 

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Development working with other policies 

The EU and its Member States have aimed to ensure that development policy works hand in 
hand  with  other  policies  such  as  peace  and  stability,  trade  and  investment,  energy, 
agriculture, environment and climate change and migration, as these have a major collective 
impact on sustainable development in partner countries.  

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  provided  technical,  financial  and  political  support  to 
address the root causes of insecurity and conflict and promote stability. A good example is 
the Integrated Approach to conflict and crises, set out in the Global Strategy, which builds 
synergies between humanitarian, sustainable development and peacebuilding actions so as 
to  

  prevent and transform violent conflicts;  
  increase the resilience of affected populations;  
  mitigate the risks of future crises; and  
  pave the way to sustainable development.   

The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa is another example of a comprehensive approach to 
support partner countries in Africa, so as to foster long-term stability and address the drivers 
of  destabilisation,  forced  displacement  and  irregular  migration,  working  on  the  links 
between development, conflict prevention and short-term crisis response measures.  

The  EU  has  consistently  promoted  trade  with  developing  countries,  through  trade 
agreements, including Economic Partnership Agreements with African, Caribbean and Pacific 
countries,  and  unilateral  trade  preference  regimes  for  vulnerable  developing  countries, 
including  LDCs.  The  EU  is  the  most  open  market  for  developing  countries  and  the  most 
important  export  market  for  LDCs.   In  2017,  it  imported  goods worth  €68  billion  from  the 
beneficiaries of the three arrangements of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences21. The EU 
is  putting  increased  emphasis  on  mainstreaming  the  sustainable  dimension  within  trade 
policies. 

Policy Coherence for Development  

Policy Coherence for Development22 (PCD) seeks to enhance the positive and minimise the 
negative  impacts  of  EU  policies  on  developing  countries,  promote  synergies  between  EU 
policies and so increase development effectiveness. It is an essential element of EU efforts 
to enhance consistency between internal and external policies in support of the SDGs. PCD 
also makes an important contribution to the broader commitment to Policy Coherence for 
Sustainable Development.  

The Commission has integrated PCD in its overall work on the implementation of the 2030 
Agenda.  In  ocean  governance,  for  example,  the  EU  Regulation  on  Illegal,  Unreported  and 
Unregulated  Fishing23,  and  the  European  Strategy  for  Plastics  in  a  Circular  Economy24    are 

21 http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/development/generalised-scheme-of-
preferences/index_en.htm 
22 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/policies/policy-coherence-development_en 
23 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:02009R1010-20130917&from=EN 
24 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/pdf/plastics-strategy-brochure.pdf 

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important  measures  that  benefit  developing  countries.  In  migration,  the  Commission  has 
adopted a number of measures to take account of developing countries’ challenges. In 2017, 
the EU adopted new key priority actions25 in the fight against trafficking in human beings in 
the EU.  

The EU and its Member States are committed to  

Part 4: Partnerships 

  working together better in support of the SDGs;  
  tailoring partnerships more closely to developing country needs and circumstances; 

and  

  developing stronger partnerships with other development actors.  

Together they remain the world’s largest provider of Official Development Assistance (ODA), 
providing €74.4 billion in 2018. They have worked to promote a coherent combination of:  

  effective policies and institutions in partner countries;  
  domestic resource mobilisation focused on areas of greatest need;  
  private investment; plus  
  targeted  ODA,  tailored  to  country  circumstances  and  complementing  other 

resources.  

Section 4.1: Working better together 

The EU and its Member States have worked in a more coherent and coordinated way in their 
development cooperation and thus increased their effectiveness, impact and accountability.  

Based  on  the  strong  framework  of  common  objectives  and  actions  provided  by  the  2030 
Agenda, the EU and Member  States  have promoted more joint work  that  has reduced the 
burden on partner governments and allowed a sharper focus on their key priorities. The EU 
and its Member States have shared analysis, expertise and resources more efficiently.  

The EU and its Member States have increasingly framed their joint work around support to 
the  SDGs.  As  at  February  2019,  Joint  Programming26  had  been  adopted  for  23  partner 
countries,  and  was  under  development  in  a  further  36.  Joint  results  frameworks  are  also 
being  designed  to  better  measure  the  collective  impact  of  the  EU  and  Member  States  in 
support of SDG implementation.  

The  EU,  the  EIB  and  the  Member  States  have  also  been  more  coherent  in  economic 
diplomacy. By 2018, more than 100 country action plans had been agreed, to improve policy 
coherence  and  promote  international  trade  and  the  universal  rules-based  and  equitable 
trading system that is fair and open and benefits all. 

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  are  fully  committed  to  the  principles  of  development 
effectiveness  and  have  worked  consistently  to  promote  them.  In  Global  Partnership  for 

25 COM(2017) 728 final, https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/eu-policy/commission-sets-out-
priorities-step-eu-action_en. 
26 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/policies/eu-approach-aid-effectiveness/joint-programming_en 

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Effective Development  Cooperation monitoring reports27  they show  excellent performance 
on alignment of their cooperation with developing country priorities. On transparency, the 
EU publishes data monthly to the International Aid Transparency Initiative28.    

Examples of Joint Programming  

The EU and its Member States are working in Mali on new joint programming for the post-
2020 period.  In a country with such development, humanitarian and security challenges, a 
joint  European  response,  involving  all  EU  Member  States  working  there,  is  vital.  In 
Cambodia,  a  monitoring  report29  of  the  “European  Development  Cooperation  Strategy  for 
Cambodia  2014-2018”  has  been  used  as  a  basis  for  a  joint  policy  dialogue  with  the 
government and others including the Cambodian parliament and civil society.  

Section 4.2: Working better with partners 

Stronger partnerships tailored to developing country circumstances 

Since  2015,  the  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  strengthened  their  support  to  developing 
country  partners  to  take  account  of  the  SDGs  in  their  national  planning,  budgeting  and 
implementation.  This  has  been  done  in  an  increasingly  diversified  and  tailored  manner, 
targeting  countries  where  the  needs  are  greatest,  especially  countries  that  are  least 
developed,  in  situation  of fragility  and  conflict,  where  the  potential  to  raise  finance  is  the 
lowest.   

In  LDCs,  ODA  from  the  EU  and  its  Member  States  has  formed  a  significant  part  of  the 
resources  of  national  governments  available  to  provide  basic  services.  The  proportion  of 
gross  national  income  provided  as ODA  to  LDCs  by  the  EU  and  its Member  States  in 2017 
rose from 0.11% to 0.12 % – although still short of the collective EU target in the short term 
of  0.15%-0.20%  and  of  0.20%  by  2030.    Fragile  and  conflict-affected  countries  present 
special challenges for development cooperation. €21 billion, or 27.7% of the EU’s budget for 
development cooperation, was committed to fragile states in 2017.  

The  revised  European  Neighbourhood Policy30  (ENP)  contributes to  the  stabilisation  of  the 
EU’s immediate neighbourhood as its overarching goal. It ensures a differentiated approach 
to  partners,  based  on  their  different  circumstances,  as  well  as  EU  interests.  The  policy 
provides a solid framework to support reforms in  

  good governance, democracy, rule of law and human rights;  
  inclusive  economic  and  social  development,  creating  jobs  and  opportunities  for 

youth, and working with partners on energy security and climate action;  

  security, counter-terrorism, anti-radicalisation policies and conflict prevention; and  
  migration  and  mobility,  addressing  the  root  causes  of  irregular  migration  while 

promoting safe and legal mobility.  

27 http://effectivecooperation.org/monitoring-country-progress/country-and-territory-monitoring-
profiles/ 
28 https://iatistandard.org/en/ 
29 https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/joint_strategy_first_monitoring_report_en.pdf 
30 https://eeas.europa.eu/diplomatic-network/european-neighbourhood-policy-enp_en 

10 

 
 
                                            
The  priorities  of  the  ENP  make  a  major  contribution  to  fostering  sustainability  in  these 
countries and their ability to meet the SDGs.  

More advanced developing countries are important for implementation of the 2030 Agenda 
and, as major economies, have an increasing influence on global challenges, such as climate 
change.  The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  built  innovative  new  relationships  with  such 
countries around implementation of the 2030 Agenda.  

Innovative engagement with more advanced developing countries 

including 

The EU and its Member States have strengthened partnerships for the SDGs with a range of 
in  Asia  and  Latin  America.  These 
more  advanced  developing  countries, 
relationships  go  beyond  the  traditional  use  of  ODA  and  include  a  range  of  targeted 
interventions,  including  innovative  financial  instruments  such  as  blending  of  grants  with 
loans,  budget  guarantees,  green  bonds,  venture  capital  as  well  as  exchange  of  experience 
and  triangular  cooperation  (where  developed  and  developing  countries  can  pool  their 
resources  to  provide  support  to  a  third  developing  country).  While  channelling  smaller 
volumes of financial resources, this approach deepens relationships by focusing on common 
interests in the 2030 Agenda. 

Innovative instruments and sustainable finance 

Innovative  financing  can  help  SDG  implementation  where  other  types  of  finance  do  not 
provide  sufficient  funds.  The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  developed  innovative 
approaches to increase financial flows to developing countries  and use  available  resources 
more  effectively.  Innovative  finance  mechanisms,  such  as  green  bonds,  debt  swaps  and 
financial  transaction  taxes  generated  over  €2.4  billion  of  investment  in  201731.  The  EU’s 
2018 Action Plan on financing sustainable growth32 is starting to  

  help direct capital flows towards sustainable investment;  
  better manage financial risks from environmental degradation and other problems; 

and  

  encourage transparency and a more sustainable, long-term perspective in financial 

markets and companies globally.  

Working better with others 

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  also  strengthened  their  partnerships  with  local 
governments,  civil  society,  citizens,  the  private  sector,  private  foundations,  academic  and 
research institutions and multilateral organisations.  

Civil society 

The EU and its Member States have promoted the participation of civil society organisations 
(CSOs) in development  and encouraged all parts of society to engage  actively. These goals 
have  been promoted through the EU thematic programme  'Civil Society Organisations and 

31 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/report-investing-sustainable-dev-
20180423_en.pdf 
32 COM(2018) 097 final 

11 

 
 
                                            
Local Authorities33', and through 25 framework partnership agreements to support CSOs as 
providers of key services and pivotal actors for good governance.  

Local authorities 

Achievement  of the  SDGs depends heavily on the active  involvement of regional and local 
authorities,  in  particular  through  specific  approaches  to  translate  the  SDGs  into  their  own 
context.  The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  supported  transparency,  accountability  and 
decentralisation reforms, to empower  regional and local authorities  for better governance 
and  development  impact.  They  have  strengthened  their  cooperation  with  local  and  other 
sub-national authorities, including through decentralised cooperation.  

Multilateral organisations 

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  worked  to  increase  the  effectiveness  of  multilateral 
organisations, including the UN system. These organisations have been encouraged to align 
their  strategic  planning  and  operational  activities  with  the  2030  Agenda,  in  support  of 
developing  countries’  national  strategies.  In  2018,  the  EU  and  the  UN  renewed  their 
partnership in development, in support of SDG implementation at country level.   

Listening to other stakeholders 

raising awareness on SDGs;  

Many stakeholders (including CSOs, trade unions, business associations, local authorities and 
international organisations) were consulted during the preparation of this report and many 
views have been incorporated. Issues raised on which continued attention is needed include: 
- 
-  better consultation of stakeholders when designing policies and projects; 
- 
- 
-  more focus on democracy, human rights, good governance; 
-  more focus on assessing impact of EU policies on developing countries;  
-  mainstreaming inequality, leave no-one behind, rights of persons with disabilities, 

the need for a robust monitoring and accountability framework;  
the need for more focus on planetary boundaries and climate action; 

- 

- 
- 
- 

gender equality;  
keeping the  focus on poverty whilst recognising the importance of other objectives such 
as security; 
strengthening public-private partnerships and an enabling environment for businesses;  
ensuring that businesses respect standards (human rights, environmental etc.); and 
supporting the role of local governments in achieving the  SDGs, including when working 
with the private sector. 

Section 4.3: Making best use of all resources 

The  EU  and  its Member  States  are  actively  implementing  the  Addis  Ababa  Action  Agenda, 
aiming to promote the mobilisation and best use of all means of implementation, financial 
and non-financial, and of all forms of partnerships to achieve the SDGs.  

33 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/cso-la-mip-2014-2020_en.pdf 

12 

 
 
 
 
                                            
Domestic resource mobilisation 

The  EU  ‘Collect  More,  Spend  Better34’  approach  has  supported  developing  countries  in  i) 
improved domestic revenue mobilisation ii) more effective and efficient public expenditure 
and  iii)  debt  management.  Budget  support  programmes  in  88  countries  have  also  made 
major  contributions  to  promoting  governance,  public  financial  management  and  domestic 
resource  mobilisation35.  The  EU  supports  developing  countries 
in  building  financial 
regulatory frameworks that are more conducive to sustainable investments and finance. 

ODA  continues  to  play  a  significant  role  in  many  developing  countries.  Since  2015,  the  EU 
and  its  Member  States  have  increasingly  used  ODA  to  generate  additional  finance  for 
sustainable  development, for  instance  by  supporting  more  effective  revenue  collection  for 
partner governments or mobilising private investment to boost jobs and growth.  

Illicit financial flows are estimated to cost developing countries nearly €1 trillion per year. In 
many developing countries, debt-servicing costs are increasingly difficult to manage. The EU 
and  Member  States  have  been  active  in  tackling  tax  evasion  and  debt  challenges  such  as 
non-cooperative minority creditors.   

Mobilising private investment 

Given the importance of the private sector as a contributor to growth and job creation, the 
EU and Member States have taken strong measures to promote private-sector development. 
Important  recent  EU  initiatives  include  the  External  Investment  Plan,  the  Africa-Europe 
Alliance  for  sustainable  investment  and  jobs,  and  the  Sustainable  Business  for  Africa36  
process. EU Member States’ bilateral programmes include providing credit, guarantees and 
technical support to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in partner countries. The EU 
and  its  Member  States  have  increasingly  used  blending,  whereby  public  grants  mobilise 
public  and  private  investment  for  sustainable  development,  as  a  key  development 
mechanism. 

Science, technology and innovation 

Science, technology, and innovation are central to achieving the SDGs. For instance, the EU-
Africa Research and Innovation Partnership on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable 
Agriculture37, worth €70 million, was established in 2016 to research four areas:  

  sustainable intensification;  
  agriculture and food systems for nutrition;  
  agricultural markets and trade; and  

34 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/swd-collect-more-spend-better.pdf 
35 https://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/dg/devco/eu-development-policy/budget-support-public-
finance-domestic-revenue/Documents/budget-support/Budget%20Support%20-
%20Trends%20%20Results%202018%20FINAL.pdf 
36 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/sustainable-business-for-africa_en.pdf 
37 https://ec.europa.eu/research/iscp/pdf/policy/eu-
africa_research_innovation_cooperation_on_fnssa_en.pdf 

13 

 
 
 
 
                                            
  cross-cutting  issues  such  as  research  infrastructure,  capacity  building  and  earth 

observation.  

Part 5: monitoring and reporting 

EU and Member States reporting systems 

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  have  improved  their  reporting  on  their  development 
cooperation to show more clearly their contribution to achieving the SDGs. They have also 
worked to improve global systems for reporting on such contributions. The EU has revised its 
results framework to take more explicit account of the SDGs, basing it where possible on the 
UN’s SDG indicators. Some major challenges ahead for the EU and its Member States are:  

  to extend the use of results systems;  
  to align them with the SDGs; and  
  to  progressively  work  towards  a  common  results  framework  for  the  EU  and  its 

Member States.   

Support to data collection and use in developing countries  

The EU and its Member States have increased the statistical capacity of developing countries 
to produce and analyse data, so as to inform policy and decision-making. Their commitments 
represent nearly 50% of all donors’ support in this area38. However, more needs to be done, 
including  building  capacity  for  disaggregated  data  to  help  to  ensure  that  no  segment  of 
society is excluded from progress towards poverty eradication and sustainable development. 

Part 6: Conclusions 

Since 2015, the EU and its Member States have worked collectively on all SDGs and means of 
implementation,  and  in  partnership  with  all  developing  country  partners  and  other 
development  actors.  They  are  learning  from  past  lessons,  adapting  to  new  circumstances 
and  innovating  in  their  international  cooperation.  The  report  and  its  accompanying  Staff 
Working Document show that they have: 

  Worked  better  together  in  support  of  the  SDGs,  including  through  increased  joint 

programming, joint implementation and joint results frameworks; 

  Taken account of interlinkages between SDGs for more integrated and coherent policy 

and implementation; 

  Put social and human development at the centre, incorporating decent work and social 

 

 

protection into their programmes; 
Incorporated gender equality in their programmes to reduce poverty and promote 
sustainable development; 
Incorporated  climate  change  mitigation  and  adaptation,  environmental  protection  and 
the sustainable management and use of natural resources into their programmes; 
  Focused programmes to reach those in extreme poverty and those left furthest behind; 
  Addressed inequality as an emerging universal concern; 
  Promoted peace and stability, supporting respect for human rights, democracy and the 

rule of law; 

38 OECD Creditor Reporting System 

14 

 
 
 
                                            
  Worked to progress on their collective commitments on ODA, including for LDCs; 
  Tailored their development cooperation to developing country circumstances; 
  Enhanced  cooperation  with  multilateral  organisations,  civil  society  and  the  private 

sector; and 

  Minimised  the  negative  spill-over  from  their  policies  on  to  developing  countries  and 

promoted synergies between different policies and actions.  

However, progress needs to be accelerated. Hunger, poverty and inequality are increasing in 
many  countries.  Vulnerabilities  from  rising  external  debt  are  putting  macroeconomic 
stability at risk. Damage to the climate and the environment continues to rise, with depleted 
impacts  threatening  stability  and 
natural  resources  and 
livelihoods.  While  the  EU  still  shows  leadership  at  a  global  level,  achieving  EU  collective 
commitments on ODA remains a challenge.   

increasing  climate  change 

This report  points  to the  need for the  EU and its  Member States  to continue working in a 
number of key areas: 

  Development  cooperation  needs  to  be  more  closely  aligned  with  the  SDGs,  so  that 

programmes contribute more actively and explicitly to SDG implementation.  

  Reporting  and  results  systems  should  more  clearly  demonstrate  the  impact  of  the  EU 
and  its  Member  States  in  supporting  SDG  implementation,  including  where  actions 
address multiple objectives.   

  The EU and its Member States need to step up efforts to work better together for the 

SDGs, for instance through joint programmes and joint results frameworks.  

  More  integrated  approaches  are  needed  to  ensure  that  limited  resources  deliver  on 
multiple  SDGs,  for  instance  by  further  mainstreaming  of  environment  and  climate  or 
integrating labour and environmental dimensions in trade policies. 

  Engagement  with  partner  countries  should  be  comprehensive,  with  policy  dialogues 
based  on  SDGs  as  a  key  entry  point,  building  on  national  development  plans  and 
Voluntary National Reviews, while respecting the specificities of the ENP. 

  Support  for  developing  countries  in  collecting,  analysing  and  using  disaggregated  data 

should be stepped up.   

The EU and its Member States will work to maintain the progress made since 2015 and to 
address  areas  where  accelerated  action  is  needed.  Action  at  global  and  regional  level 
remains  crucial  to  help  address  global  challenges  alongside  national  efforts.  Much  of  the 
groundwork is already underway. The EU and its Member States will increasingly frame their 
partnerships with developing countries through the lens of the SDGs. For the next long-term 
financing 
EU  budget  2021-2027, 
instruments   for  international  cooperation  and  development  that  would  give  the  EU  more 
resources and greater flexibility to tailor its cooperation to the needs of developing country 
partners.  Our  essential  partnerships  with  the  UN  and  other  multilateral  organisations  are 
being strengthened.      

the  European  Commission  has  proposed  new 

This first Joint Synthesis Report is intended not just as a reporting document but also as part 
of  a  wider  reaffirmation  of  the  commitment  of  the  EU  and  its  Member  States  to  the 
implementation  of  the  2030  Agenda,  in  partnership  with  developing  countries  and  other 

15 

 
 
partners.  The  actions  summarised  in  this  report  confirm  their  determination  to  work 
together for a world that is prosperous, sustainable and peaceful. 

16