Sustainable development is an important approach that takes into account the limited resources of the earth and is therefore essential for the survival of humanity and the quality of life of present and future generations. The areas of activity that are most important and integrate and empower each other are the economy, society and the environment. The issue of sustainable development has been present globally for many years and was formally defined in 1992 by the United Nations Conference, after which various strategies and programs have been adopted that serve as a framework for future development. The European Union, as well as Croatia, is actively involved in tackling sustainability through the goals of human dignity, regional and global stability, a healthy planet, just and resilient societies and successful economies. The current 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development defines 17 sustainable development goals, whose implementation in Croatia and the European Union is analyzed in this paper. The European Union is making great efforts to achieve these goals, which has resulted in significant progress in almost all segments of sustainable development. Although Croatia has generally achieved positive results in meeting its targets, it still lags behind the EU average.