European Union Voluntary National Review 2023
VNRs Submitted: 1 (25%)
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Progress
Achieved: 2 (12%)
On-Track: 5 (29%)
Off-Track: 10 (59%)
No Progress: 0 (0%)
Report Details
DOI: 10.47556/R.UN-VNRS2026.13
Number: 13
Year: 2026
Publisher: World Association for Sustainable Development (WASD) and SDGs Tracker Initiative.
Summary
The European Union’s (EU) 2023 Voluntary National Review (VNR) marks a historic milestone as the first supranational assessment presented to the High-Level Political Forum, reflecting the shared commitment of 27 Member States and 447 million citizens to the United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SD). Produced against the backdrop of a complex “poly-crisis” shaped by the ongoing socio-economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the review highlights how the von der Leyen Commission has embedded the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the core of its political programme through a comprehensive “whole-of-government” approach. It outlines the EU’s use of the European Green Deal, the Global Gateway, legislative frameworks, and major financial instruments such as NextGenerationEU and the European Semester to translate ambition into systemic action, advancing climate neutrality alongside social fairness and economic resilience.