The Government encourages local and regional authorities to be active and to take part in the implementation process. The NSDS, as a matter of fact, has been endorsed at regional and local level, through the adoption of the document in the “State-Regions Conference”, the public representative body that fosters cooperation between State, Regions and Autonomous Provinces. Decree 152/2006 and subsequent amendments calls upon Regions and Autonomous Provinces for approving their own strategies for sustainable development within a year since the adoption of the NSDS. In accordance with the Decree, the MoE activated a coordination mechanism with Regions, Autonomous Provinces and metropolitan cities and signed agreements with them, to increase coherence in the implementation of regional and metropolitan strategies (for further information see the following section “Sub-national activities”).

In addition, Law 125/2014 recognizes local subnational authorities to be an integral part of Italian development cooperation and play an active role in policy definition and planning. Representatives of regional and local governments and of the public and private sectors are allowed to participate to the meetings of the Cabina di Regia Benessere Italia.

EU linkages

Since 2016, Italy has strongly supported a coordinated and concerted effort at EU level to implement the 2030 Agenda in a coherent and effective manner.  The creation of the Working Party on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development  (2030 Agenda WP) under the auspices of the General Affairs Council (GAC), advocated also by Italy, is an essential step forward to further involve the European institutions, including the Council, in the implementation, follow up and review process of the SDGs at EU level. The Council Conclusions[1], adopted by GAC on the 2030 Agenda and developed by the 2030 Agenda WP, reaffirm the commitment of the EU towards the 2030 Agenda, including the need to develop an overarching comprehensive strategy to guide the EU efforts in implementing the 2030 Agenda, also through improved policy coherence and strengthened vertical and horizontal coordination.

In addition, in 2020, the MoE will benefit from the project financed by the European Commission within the Structural Reform Programme 2017-2020, called “Policy coherence for sustainable development: mainstreaming the SDGs in Italian decision-making process”. The project, carried out in cooperation with the OECD and the DG Reform of the European Commission, aims at identifying a possible roadmap leading to a legislative and structural reform to strengthen policy coherence in achieving the sustainable development goals. The EU Green Deal (and the Institutional mechanisms needed for its implementation) together with the reform of the European Semester, that aims at integrating the SDGs, represent an acceleration in the EU action for 2030 Agenda implementation.

[1] “A sustainable European future: The EU response to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (10370/17)”  – Council conclusions (20 June 2017)

“Towards an ever more sustainable Union by 2030 (8286/19) - Council conclusions (9 April 2019)

“Building a sustainable Europe by 2030 – Progress thus far and next steps (14835/19) - Council conclusions (10 December 2019)