EU progress in Social Development Goals

Progress toward Sustainable Development Goals has been again evaluated at the EU level. Significant progress has been made towards the objectives and targets related to reduced inequalities (SDG 10), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) and quality education (SDG 4). The EU has also made progress towards most of the other SDGs, but at a slower pace. A movement away from the sustainable development objectives has been observed for clean water and sanitation (SDG 6) and life on land (SDG 15). Progress towards SDG 6 has been unfavorably affected by water stress, whereas development in SDG 15 has been negatively impacted by land degradation and loss of biodiversity. The SDG 10, reduced, inequalities, shows, among all, that income inequalities within countries have reduced, as the income gap between richer and poorer population groups has diminished allowing for significant progress within than goal. Importantly, economic and employment situation has improved. Significant progress reflects improvements in almost all indicators monitored: GDP per capita, employment as well as work conditions. We will analyze the situation in CEE in one of our Special Reports (to be published during summer months.