News and Events

EU COURT RULES THAT LEAKED SEWAGE IS WASTE

The European Court of Justice has ruled that sewage that has escaped from sewers should be classified as waste under the terms of the EU Waste Framework Directive. The ruling responds to criminal charges against Thames Water for illegal deposits of waste in relation to leaks from pipes which had seeped into the soil. The judgment confirms that escaped sewage must clearly be classified as waste, therefore triggering rules in EU waste law.

For more information, please visit:
curia.europa.eu/en/actu/activites/index.htm

HUBERT VON GOISERN'S MUSICAL VOYAGE TO THE BLACK SEA

Austrian pop star Hubert von Goisern set off in June on a journey to mark his role as the musical ambassador for the 2009 European City of Culture, Linz, Austria. The convoy of ships, including a barge converted into a
travelling stage, heads east to the Black Sea this year; in 2008 it will travel west to the North Sea. At each stop he will perform with local musicians from 10 Danube countries. In 2009 the artists will be reunited in Linz for a final festival to celebrate the voyage.

For more information, please visit:
www.linz09.at

DANUBE DECLARATION SIGNED

The Third Ministerial Conference of the Danube Cooperation Process (DCP) met in Belgrade on April 18 of this year. The DCP participants signed the Declaration, drawn up at the Pan European Conference on inland waterway transport in Bucharest in 2006, which will support the development of the European inland waterways network where the Danube will play an increasing role.

For more information, please visit:
www.danubecooperation.org

NEW STAFF MEMBERS JOIN BLACK SEA COMISSION

The Permanent Secretariat of the Black Sea Commission, in Istanbul, Turkey, has welcomed two new staff members. Ahmed Kideys, from Turkey, takes on the role of Executive Director of the Secretariat and has worked previously for the Turkish Ministry. Violeta Velikova, from Bulgaria, steps into the position of Pollution and Monitoring Assessment Officer, and was previously at the Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Varna, Bulgaria.

For more information, please visit:
www.blacksea-commission.org

31/7/2007 - 3/8/2007, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

FOURTH BIENNAL INTERNATIONAL WATERS CONFERENCE

More than 350 participants from over 100 countries will come together at the conference, hosted by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and its implementing agencies (UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank). The goals of the conference are to share experiences and innovative practices. The Danube is seen as a flagship of the GEF International Water Programme and the outcomes of 15 years of GEF involvement in the Danube Basin will be shared with others.

For more information, please visit:
www.getf.org/iwc4/

12-18/8/2007, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

WORLD WATER WEEK

The World Water Week is the leading annual global meeting place for capacity-building, partnership-building and follow-up on the implementation of international processes and programmes in water and development. This year, ICPDR’s experiences will be shared in the workshop ‘Development of Sustainable Water and Wastewater Solutions in the Baltic Sea, Danube River, Lake Victoria and Mekong River’. In addition, the Danube Box will be presented as a model of how to bring integrated river basin management to schools.

For more information visit:
www.worldwaterweek.org

10-12/10/2007, BELGRADE, SERBIA

SIXTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 'ENVIRONMENT FOR EUROPE'

Environment ministers and high level government officials from 56 of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) region, including Canada and USA, will participate in the conference. At this occasion the countries of the Tisza River Sub-basin, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine will present the Tisza River Basin Analysis Report in the frame of a side event. This report is the outcome of a collective effort – coordinated by the ICPDR.

For more information visit:
www.unece.org/env/efe/welcome.html

7-12/9/2008, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

IWA WORLD WATER CONGRESS AND EXHIBITION

The World Water Week is the leading annual global meeting place for capacity-building, partnership-building and follow-up on the implementation of international processes and programmes in water and development. This year, ICPDR’s experiences will be shared in the workshop ‘Development of Sustainable Water and Wastewater Solutions in the Baltic Sea, Danube River, Lake Victoria and Mekong River’. In addition, the Danube Box will be presented as a model of how to bring integrated river basin management to schools.

For more information visit:
www.iwa2008vienna.org

 Next: Incorporating wetlands into river basin management