Sustainable development goals (SDGs) and EU regions - peace

Data extracted in spring/summer 2024.

Planned article update: September 2025.

Highlights

Within the EU in 2021, there were 0.65 deaths due to homicide per 100 000 inhabitants.

Some of the highest death rates due to homicide were recorded in a band of regions running down the easternmost edge of the EU and in a number of the EU’s outermost regions.

This article looks at sustainable development indicators from a regional perspective – it covers Goal 16, peace. This information has been taken from the 2024 editions of Eurostat’s flagship publications, the Eurostat Regional Yearbook and Sustainable development in the European Union: monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context.

Goal 16 – Peace, justice and strong institutions

SDG 16 calls for peaceful and inclusive societies based on respect for human rights, protection of the most vulnerable, the rule of law and good governance at all levels. It also envisions transparent, effective and accountable institutions. Peace, security, democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights are also founding values of the EU.

At regional level, SDG 16 tracks the number of deaths due to homicide and injuries inflicted by another person with the intent to injure or kill by any means, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes X85 to Y09 and Y87.1. The data are presented as standardised death rates, meaning they are adjusted to a standard European age distribution to measure death rates independently of the population age structure in individual EU regions; they are expressed as a ratio per 100 000 inhabitants.

Within the EU in 2021, there were 0.65 deaths due to homicide per 100 000 inhabitants. Some of the highest rates were recorded in a band of regions running down the easternmost edge of the EU from Finland, through the Baltic countries to Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Cyprus. There were also very high death rates in a number of the EU’s outermost regions, including the French regions of Guadeloupe (5.45 deaths due to homicide per 100 000 inhabitants) and Guyane (4.68 deaths per 100 000 inhabitants), which had the 2 highest rates in the EU across NUTS level 2 regions. They were followed by Latvia (3.55 deaths per 100 000 inhabitants), while Martinique in France, Sostinės regionas in Lithuania, Nord-Est in Romania and Estonia were the only other regions where the standardised death rate due to homicide was at least 2.00 deaths per 100 000 inhabitants.

Map 1: Standardised death rate due to homicide, 2021
(per 100 000 inhabitants, by NUTS 2 regions)
Source: Eurostat (hlth_cd_asdr2)

Source data for figures and maps

Sustainable development indicators (SDGs) – regional analyses

Data sources

All of the data presented in this article can be found on Eurostat’s database.

The data presented within this article concern regional statistics for the EU and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, as well as EU candidate countries. The classification of territorial units for statistics – known as NUTS – is at the heart of the EU’s regional statistics. It is a classification based on a hierarchy, subdividing each EU country into regions. These are classified according to NUTS levels 1, 2 and 3, from larger to smaller regions. The 2021 version of the NUTS classification provides the basis for classifying regional information in this article. For EFTA and candidate countries – the concept of ‘statistical regions’ is used instead of NUTS. This applies the same principles as those used in the establishment of the NUTS classification but is based on bilateral agreements between the countries concerned and Eurostat.

For further information concerning metadata and data sources, please refer to the links that are provided at the end of each section in the main article above.

Context

The United Nations framework for sustainable development

In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda is a bold and transformative step designed to stimulate action through to 2030, shifting the world onto a sustainable and resilient path with the aim of leaving no one behind. At its core is a list of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and 169 related targets that can be categorised under what are often referred to as the 5 P’s

people – end poverty and hunger
planet– protect the planet from degradation
prosperity – ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives
peace – foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies
partnership – mobilise the means required to implement the Agenda.

A set of indicators to track progress towards the SDGs was agreed under the supervision of the UN Statistical Commission. A comprehensive review of this indicator framework was conducted in early 2020 and another review is planned for 2025. At the time of writing (January 2025), the SDG indicator framework consists of 231 indicators.

The 2030 Agenda provided the European Commission with a new impetus for achieving sustainable development, as described in Delivering on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals — A comprehensive approach. The EU is fully committed to delivering on the 2030 Agenda, and the SDGs form an intrinsic part of the European Commission’s work programme. Eurostat supports this approach through a quantitative assessment of the EU’s progress towards the SDGs using a set of 102 indicators that have been adapted to the EU context. The EU SDG indicator set is structured according to the 17 SDGs – each goal has 6 indicators attributed to it.

The initial focus of the 2030 Agenda was on supranational and country-based programmes. However, over time there have been efforts to localise SDGs, highlighting the links between local actions and global challenges. Sustainable development strategies have increasingly focused on involving regional, local and civil society stakeholders, while monitoring different territorial typologies has reinforced national efforts, supported regional development strategies and provided a broader picture of developments within countries.

Regional statistics, structured by SDG, offer a detailed territorial view of the current socioeconomic situation in areas such as living conditions, health, education, equality, economic growth or climate action. These regional statistics make it possible to pinpoint areas that require targeted interventions, address disparities between regions, and ensure that no one is left behind.

The EU’s approach to implementing the SDGs

Several major policy documents have shaped the EU’s approach to implementing the SDGs. A communication, Next steps for a sustainable European future: European action for sustainability (COM(2016) 739 final) highlighted the integration of the SDGs into the EU’s policy framework.

The EU’s approach for implementing the 2030 Agenda is described in detail within Delivering on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals — A comprehensive approach. For a complete overview of the European Commission’s activities, see the EU’s ‘whole of government’ approach to implementing the 2030 Agenda.

EU policies that help towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda

The European Green Deal, adopted in December 2019, is the EU’s growth strategy. It aims to transform the EU into a climate-neutral society while leaving no one behind, creating a modern, resource-efficient, competitive and fair economy where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. The European Green Deal is an integral part of the European Commission’s strategy to implement the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

Cohesion policy in the EU is strongly aligned with the SDGs. It contributes to strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion and correcting imbalances between countries and regions. It delivers on the EU’s political priorities, especially the green and digital transitions.

These are just 2 examples of a wide range of EU policies that highlight the EU’s comprehensive approach to implementing the 2030 Agenda. Below is a non-exhaustive list of some other policies that contribute towards delivering on the 2030 Agenda

Explore further

Database

Regional statistics by NUTS classification (reg), see

Regional agriculture statistics (reg_agr)

Regional demographic statistics (reg_dem)

Regional economic accounts (reg_eco10)

Regional science and technology statistics (reg_sct)

Regional structural business statistics (reg_sbs)

Regional business demography (reg_bd)

Regional health statistics (reg_hlth)

Regional tourism statistics (reg_tour)

Regional transport statistics (reg_tran)

Regional labour market statistics (reg_lmk)

Regional labour costs statistics (reg_lcs)

Regional digital economy and society (reg_isoc)

Regional environmental and energy statistics (reg_env)

Regional poverty and social exclusion statistics (reg_ilc)

Regional crime statistics (reg_crim)

Sustainable development indicators (sdg), see

Goal 1 - No poverty (sdg_01)

Goal 2 - Zero hunger (sdg_02)

Goal 3 - Good health and well-being (sdg_03)

Goal 4 - Quality education (sdg_04)

Goal 5 - Gender equality (sdg_05)

Goal 6 - Clean water and sanitation (sdg_06)

Goal 7 - Affordable and clean energy (sdg_07)

Goal 8 - Decent work and economic growth (sdg_08)

Goal 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure (sdg_09)

Goal 10 - Reduced inequalities (sdg_10)

Goal 11 - Sustainable cities and communities (sdg_11)

Goal 12 - Responsible consumption and production (sdg_12)

Goal 13 - Climate action (sdg_13)

Goal 14 - Life below water (sdg_14)

Goal 15 - Life on land (sdg_15)

Goal 16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions (sdg_16)

Goal 17 - Partnerships for the goals (sdg_17)

Thematic section

Publications

Paper and PDF publications

Online publications

Methodology

Manuals and further methodological information

External links

European Commission – Sustainable development goals, see
- The EU and the United Nations – common goals for a sustainable future
- Voluntary reviews of SDG implementation

United Nations – Sustainable development goals, see

Visualisation