The EESC at the 2023 High-Level Political Forum on sustainable development

As in previous years, the European Economic and Social Committee, as the body representing organised civil society in the EU, will be following the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), which will take place in New York from Monday 10 July to Wednesday 19 July 2023.

The EESC delegation, headed by EESC President Oliver Röpke, will be at the HLPF from Monday 17 to Wednesday 19 July.

The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is the United Nations' central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. It provides an opportunity for global stakeholders to come together, assess progress, and discuss strategies for advancing sustainable development.

As an official advisory body representing Europe's organized civil society, the EESC actively engages in the HLPF to advocate for the voice of European citizens and promote sustainable development policies aligned with the EU's priorities. The EESC believes that 2023 is a crucial year to boost the Agenda 2030 and its implementation, and it is fully committed to this endeavour.

Our objectives for the HLPF 2023 include:

1. Policy Advocacy: Influencing the global sustainable development agenda by sharing the European perspective, expertise, and best practices.
2. Knowledge Sharing: Facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experiences between European civil society organizations and their international counterparts.
3. Partnerships: Building strategic alliances with stakeholders from various sectors to promote inclusive, sustainable, and transformative development.
4. Monitoring Progress: Assessing the achievements and challenges of the EU policies in attaining each of the Goals, as tasked by the European Commission, and providing the views of civil society to the EU Voluntary Reviews (EU VR).

The EESC has been tasked to provide the views of civil society to the EU Voluntary Reviews (EU VR), assessing the achievements and challenges of the EU policies to attain each of the Goals. We have prepared a comprehensive contribution that is available as an accompanying document of the EU VR and on our site here.

The High-level Political Forum session this year focuses on accelerating the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and on the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels. The HLPF will reflect on how effective and inclusive recovery measures can be employed to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SDGs and explore actionable policy guidance for the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs at all levels.

The UN HLPF 2023 will also review in-depth the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
• Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
• Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
• Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
• Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

The EESC will have a busy agenda with bilateral meetings with civil society organization and UN officials. In this regard, the European Commission and the EESC will co-organize a side event focusing on the EU Voluntary Reviews on Wednesday, 19th at 13:00 (local time). This session will provide a unique opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue about the EU's sustainable development journey, challenges faced, and future prospects.

More updates on the HLPF in the next days on this site.