Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. A decent life for all: from vision to collective action

Eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development are fundamental global challenges affecting the lives of current and future generations and the future of the entire planet. These challenges are universal and interrelated and need a global response. Addressing them requires strong political commitment and determined action at all levels and by all stakeholders.

This agenda needs to be fit to address our globalized and inter-linked world, since business as usual is no longer an option whether in terms of human dignity, equity, equality or sustainability. The EU and its Member States have emphasized their commitment to work inclusively with all partners and stakeholders to build consensus for a new transformative post-2015 agenda. In the ongoing work at the UN Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the EU has been providing, and will continue to provide, input on the way forward through interventions by the EU and by the Member States that are members of the OWG.

This Communication builds on the existing EU position, as laid down in the Council Conclusions of June 2013. It seeks to further elaborate key principles, to set out possible priority areas and potential target topics for the post-2015 framework, to propose options to cluster these priority areas and addresses the need for a new global partnership. At the same time it retains flexibility to respond to future developments in international discussions. It should be seen as a contribution to a process to refine the approach of the EU and its Member States, through to the final stages of the work in the OWG on SDGs and the work of the Expert Group on Sustainable Development Financing. It will also contribute to the discussions in the upcoming United Nations General Assembly ahead of the negotiations leading up to the Summit in 2015.

It builds on the outcome of recent, relevant international discussions on sustainable development and poverty eradication, including the Rio+20 Conference, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) review process, the report of the UN Secretary General's (UNSG) High Level Panel on the post-2015 Development Agenda and the UNSG report ‘A Life of Dignity for All’. It draws on discussions with EU Member States. It also takes account of key proposals put forward at the international level, including discussions held so far at the Open Working Group on SDGs and the results of various stakeholder consultations.

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: COM(2014)335: Follow the progress of this communication through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2014:335:FIN

ESO: Background information: Poverty eradication and sustainable development after 2015 http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-poverty-eradication-and-sustainable-development-after-2015/

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