On 15 September, Spain’s position on the Post-2015 Agenda was presented. It was the culmination of a consultation process lasting over two years.

This process determining the position of the Spanish government took on various forms (expert reports, consultation open to all development cooperation organisations and institutions, and working groups), giving rise to a proposal identifying various principles for the new post-2015 development agenda, along with a list of 12 goals.

The principles set out in the Spanish position underline the importance of recognising the value of the MDGs and establishing a people-centred, universal development agenda aimed at eradicating poverty and reducing inequality through sustainable development and a rights-based approach. They also highlight the need to include middle-income countries, given the problems they face in terms of inequality and sustainability.

The 12 goals centre on the fulfilment of principles covering five cross-cutting objectives: poverty eradication, inequality reduction, environmental sustainability, democratic governance and human rights, as well as gender equality and women’s empowerment. The goals are aimed at achieving greater social cohesion and rights development, including food security and nutrition, universal health cover, education for all and the human right to water and sanitation. Inclusive and sustainable economic growth, decent work and sustainable energy for all are also included. The final goal is a Global Partnership for the new development agenda.

The UGT and the Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) took part in every stage of the consultation and negotiation, contributing our own proposals and defending the inclusion of the sustainable development goals and proposing the introduction of new goals on attaining a universal social protection floor, full employment and decent work.
As trade unions we contributed to the inclusion in the Spanish position of decent work as a primary goal (goal 10) and social protection (identified as an objective to be reached within the framework of the inequality reduction and food security goals, and "social protection floors" in the growth and decent work goal.