140^th IPU Assembly

Doha, 5-10 April 2019

Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade

Bureau Meeting

Item 3                        Sustainable Development Goals

Madam President,

Dear colleagues,

The latest developments in Romania with respect to the SDGs are the following:

- in December last year, we officially launched the new National Strategy for Sustainable Development. The strategy was updated according with the SDGs, following a nation-wide, multi-stakeholder process;

- my country is currently holding the Presidency of the EU Council, and in this capacity, coordinates the EU Council Working Group for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda;  

- the overarching priority of the Romanian Presidency is to enhance the role of youth and children as drivers of sustainable development;

- during this European mandate, Romania is actively monitoring the negotiations of a new agreement on the relations between Africa-Caribbean-Pacific and the EU, based on the global commitments of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the development needs of the different regions;

- in this context, the Senate of Romania hosted in March the plenary session of the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly, which is the parliamentary structure of countries participating in the Cotonou Agreement; the over 350 delegates gathered in Bucharest addressed issues of major relevance in achieving the SDGs, including: climate change, environmental crimes, access to education for children and young people; renewable energies, to name but a few;       

- as regards developments in domestic legislation, our Parliament adopted last year the Law of the mountain, a legal framework for the protection and sustainable development of mountain areas. The law regulates the modalities of making best use of natural and human resources, ensuring the stability of population and maintaining its cultural identity, enhancing an economic development respectful of the natural environment and the need to preserve environmental balance, all these according to the specificities of mountain areas, which represent almost 30% of Romania’s territory.  

Thank you !