Eurostat has published a monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in the EU. The report finds that over the last five or six years with available data, the EU has made moderate or significant progress towards most SDGs, albeit at varying paces. The data also reveal that the EU has stagnated on SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals) – and fallen back on SDG 15 (life on land) and SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation).

Eurostat’s assessment indicates significant progress on five SDGs. The greatest progress, it notes, was achieved on SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth). The EU has also made significant progress towards SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 5 (gender equality), and SDG 4 (quality education).

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Reaffirming the European Commission’s dedication to the long-term vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity and for Implementation and Simplification, responsible for Eurostat, Valdis Dombrovskis, highlighted several key initiatives aimed at strengthening Europe’s sustainability agenda. These include:

• The Clean Industrial Deal, to turn decarbonization into a driver of innovation and competitiveness;
• The Competitiveness Compass, to enhance Europe’s economic growth through innovation and simplification of regulatory frameworks;
• The Affordable Housing Plan, to address the housing crisis by increasing supply and mobilizing investment to support the most affected populations; and
• The EU’s climate target to reduce its net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 90% by 2040, relative to 1990.

Eurostat’s Director-General Mariana Kotzeva said the monitoring report measures the progress achieved on the economic, social, environmental, and institutional dimensions of sustainability, while also identifying the areas where additional effort is needed. Noting disparities across Europe revealed by regional data for selected indicators, she said the report puts the EU’s progress into a global perspective.

Issued on 3 June 2026, the report is the tenth in a series of annual monitoring assessments launched by the EU’s statistics office in 2017. Based on an indicator set developed to monitor progress towards the SDGs in an EU context, it aims to provide an objective assessment of whether the EU has advanced towards the Goals over the past five-year (short-term) and 15-year (long-term) periods. [Publication: Sustainable Development in the European Union: Monitoring Report on Progress Towards the SDGs in an EU context, 2026 Edition] [Publication Landing Page] [Publication: Sustainable Development in the European Union: Overview of Progress Towards the SDGs in an EU context, 2026 Edition] [Publication Landing Page] [Eurostat News Article]