European Union national parliaments’ implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals: Lessons learned for the Verkhovna Rada

European Union national parliaments’ implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals: Lessons learned for the Verkhovna Rada

September 24, 2020

Author: Julia Keutgen, Senior Parliamentary Adviser

This publication sums up a study of the role and practice of the European Union (EU) national parliaments in the implementation of the Agenda 2030 and achieving the SDGs. The overall objective of the assignment is to draft recommendations for strengthening the VRU’s legislative and oversight capacity and role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in Ukraine, using some of the lessons learned by EU national parliaments.

The first part of the study provides a brief background of the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs,  globally and within the EU. The second part discusses the institutional architecture established by EU national parliaments to play an active role in the delivery of the SDGs. On the basis of a review of the constitutional functions of parliament (law-making, oversight, budget and representation), the study examines which approaches EU national parliaments have taken to mainstream the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. Finally, the study provides an overview of the national context related to the SDGs in Ukraine, as well as some recommendations on the way forward for the VRU.

This publication was prepared by the EU-UNDP Parliamentary Reform Project.