Slovakia 2030 – Vision and National Sustainable Development Strategy of the Slovak Republic until 2030 was approved by the Government of the Slovak Republic on 20 January 2021 (Government Resolution No. 41/2021). It represents the country’s overarching national framework for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In 2018, Slovakia adopted the National Priorities for the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda, which define six priority areas guiding national implementation:

1. Education for a life in dignity

2. Transformation towards a knowledge-based and environmentally sustainable economy in the context of demographic and global change

3. Poverty reduction and social inclusion

4. Sustainable settlements, regions and rural areas in the context of climate change

5. Rule of law, democracy and security

6. Good health

Preparation of Slovakia 2040

In 2025, the Prime Minister of Slovakia tasked the Slovak Academy of Science to launch the preparation of a new long-term strategic framework: “Vision and Strategy for the Development of Slovakia until 2040 – Slovakia 2040” (Government Resolutions No. 358/2025 and 561/2025.)

The new strategy will define strategic priorities, objectives and internationally comparable measurable indicators.

The timeline foresees:

• Preparation of the Vision document by 30 June 2026 and submission to the Government by 31 August 2026.

• In the subsequent phase, preparation of the Strategy document by 31 January 2027 and submission to the Government by 31 March 2027.

The framework will be structured around four pillars:

1. Successful Slovakia

2. Quality of Life

3. Sustainable Country

4. Modern State

Particular emphasis will be placed on eight well-being domains defined by OECD and UNECE.

Complementary Strategic Processes

The preparation of Slovakia 2040 is accompanied by two additional key strategic processes:

1. Investment Planning: Investment Plan Slovakia (Government Resolution No. 613/2025).

2. Effective Use of EU Funds: National and Regional Partnership Plan for 2028–2034 (Government Resolution No. 546/2025).

Together, these processes aim to align long-term strategic planning, public investment and EU funding with sustainable development objectives.

Draft Vision and Strategy for the Development of Slovakia until 2030 – Long-Term Strategy for the Sustainable Development of the Slovak Republic – Slovakia 2030 – New Version

Deputy Pime Minister’s Office for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic is responsible for the external dimension of the Agenda 2030

Nina Husarčíková, nina.husarcikova@vlada.gov.sk

Department of Sustainable Development

Deputy Pime Minister’s Office for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy

Slovakia has a solid legal basis for inter-ministerial cooperation through the Law on Competences (Act No. 575/2001), which obliges ministries and other central state administration bodies to cooperate closely in the performance of their tasks.

A range of coordination mechanisms, including government councils, working groups and task forces, supports collaboration on cross-cutting issues, including sustainable development.

Government Council for Sustainable Development and its Financing

In January 2025, the Government established the Government Council for Sustainable Development and its Financing (Government Resolution No. 3/2025). The Council serves as a coordination and advisory body to the Government in the areas of:

• Long-term strategic direction towards sustainable development and its financing
• Policy coherence
• Implementation of the RRP

The creation of the Council streamlined the advisory system by merging three previously existing bodies:

• Government Council for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• Government Council for the Recovery and Resilience Plan
• Government Council for the European Green Deal

The Council is a high-level advisory body currently comprising 43 voting members. It brings together representatives from the Office of the Government, key line ministries, regional authorities, academia, civil society organisations, employer and trade union representatives, the National Council (Parliament), the Judicial Council, and the National Prosecutor’s Office.

The Association of Self-Governing Regions (SK8), the Association of Cities and Municipalities of Slovakia (ZMOS), and the Union of Cities of Slovakia (ÚMS) are also represented.

The Council is chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and the Knowledge Economy. Vice-Chairs include the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment, the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization, and the Minister of Finance.

The Council addresses a broad range of issues, including national implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Remaining Coordination Challenges

While the Law on Competences mandates inter-ministerial cooperation, responsibilities remain largely assigned along sectoral lines. Cross-cutting policy areas are not formally embedded in the legal framework, and ministries are not explicitly required to consult each other on draft strategies or legislation. This limits systemic policy coherence for sustainable development.

To address these challenges, Slovakia is currently participating in a Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project funded by the European Commission and facilitated by the OECD: “Building Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development in Slovakia.” The OECD is conducting a PCSD Scan assessing all eight OECD PCSD principles and will provide recommendations and identify opportunities for improvement (coming soon).

Government Performance Monitoring

In 2024, Slovakia introduced a system for Monitoring the Implementation of the Government Programme Declaration (Government Resolution No. 308/2024).

This strategic performance measurement system serves as a standard instrument to enhance government effectiveness, with a strong focus on results-based management aligned with the Government Programme priorities.

In 2026, the Government approved a proposal to establish an integrated system of strategic planning, prioritisation, implementation and monitoring of government priorities (Government Resolution No. 40/2026)

This reform aims to further strengthen coherence between strategic planning, performance management and sustainable development objectives.

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic is a key institution responsible for SDGs related monitoring on global (UN), European (Eurostat) and national levels.  It has been coordinating an Expert Group on SDGs Monitoring and Indicators, which was developing a set of national indicators related to national sustainable development strategy (government approval pending).

Statistical Office prepared two publications:

Policy context – Agenda2030

Sustainable Development Indicators of the 2030 Agenda in the Slovak Republic (current status in 2025)

Slovakia has adopted a biannual monitoring and evaluation framework of the progress made in the implementation of the national priorities of the 2030 Agenda, with the first national M&E Report which was submitted to the government in June 2020. 

In the absence of the approved national sustainable development strategy, the report was based on the progress made in six national priorities defined in 2018. The 2030 Agenda Coordination Department contracted a group of independent experts, who in 2018 participated in definition of the national priorities, to analyze progress made in each of the national 2030 Agenda priorities in the timeframe from July 2018 to April 2020. 

Analytical units of the line ministries have been involved in this process, providing inputs from their area of expertise. 

The First National Monitoring Report on the progress achieved in the national priorities of the 2030 Agenda implementation was approved by the Slovak Government in September 2020.

In 2018, Supreme Audit Office of the Slovak Republic issued its report on Performance Audit of Preparedness for Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals.

Slovakia published  the second report on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs which  focused on the current status of the 17 SDGs in 2023.

Performance Audit of Preparedness for Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals

Voluntary National Review of the Slovak Republic on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Second Voluntary National Review of the Slovak Republic on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development