The European Union has urged countries to place the Sustainable Development Goals at the centre of national policy, budgeting and planning, and to significantly increase investment in areas that generate wide benefits, as the 2030 deadline approaches. In a statement delivered on 16 July 2026 at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and ECOSOC High-level Segment, the EU emphasised that accelerating sustainable development is more urgent than ever given current global trends that threaten progress across nearly all SDGs.
The EU highlighted its Global Gateway initiative as a key example of sustainable investment, supporting digital, energy and transport infrastructure, as well as health and education systems in partner countries. The initiative aims to strengthen resilience, promote green and inclusive growth, and accelerate SDG progress through sustainability, transparency and mutual benefit. The EU stressed that innovation and transition must be inclusive, ensuring that progress reaches those most at risk of being left behind.
The statement comes as the world approaches a critical turning point, with the next High-level Political Forum under the President of the General Assembly seen as an opportunity to take stock at the highest political level and renew collective commitment to remain ambitious, inclusive and action-oriented. The EU called for building more sustainable partnerships and addressing new and evolving global realities.
EU member states and partner countries face pressure to align national budgets and plans with SDGs, potentially requiring reallocation of resources. The Global Gateway initiative benefits EU infrastructure and technology firms through investment projects, but also imposes sustainability and transparency standards. Developing countries receiving Global Gateway investments gain infrastructure and capacity building, but may face conditionalities. Civil society organisations advocating for inclusive development see the EU's emphasis on reaching the most vulnerable as a positive signal, though implementation remains to be seen.