How the European Union joins trade dynamism with sustainable development

The European Union (EU) is at the vanguard of marrying the values of sustainable development with the economic engine of trade. Through the incorporation of comprehensive commitments on environmental and labour provisions in all its bilateral trade agreements the EU aims to build free and fair trading relationships. This is a reflection of EU determination to strengthen and uphold the international community’s journey that began with the Millennium Development Goals and the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) and has culminated with the United Nations 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).