Sustainable development is an overarching objective of the European Union set out in the Treaty, governing all the Union’s policies and activities. The European Council in Göteborg (2001) adopted the first EU Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS). This was complemented by an external dimension in 2002 by the European Council in Barcelona in view of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (2002). The European Council of June 2006 adopted an ambitious and comprehensive renewed SDS for an enlarged EU. It builds on the Gothenburg strategy of 2001 and is the result of an extensive review process that started in 2004.

The renewed EU SDS sets out a single, coherent strategy on how the EU will more effectively live up to its long-standing commitment to meet the challenges of sustainable development. It recognises the need to gradually change our current unsustainable consumption and production patterns and move towards a better integrated approach to policy-making. It reaffirms the need for global solidarity and recognises the importance of strengthening the EU's work with partners outside the EU, including those rapidly developing countries which will have a significant impact on global sustainable development.

At its March 2007 Council, the EU decided to increase the use of renewable energy to 20% by 2020. How individual Member States will contribute to this target will be decided in separate negotiations. For the moment, though, there is agreement that the target of 20% within the European Union should be met. The European Council also reached agreement on other targets, such as increasing energy efficiency by 20% and a minimum bio fuel content of 10% in fuels.