CIVIL SOCIETY AND PLANNING IN THE DANUBE BASIN, CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE, CASE #120

Describes the process by which stakeholder participation is being built in the Danube basin in the context of the European Water Framework Directive.

ABSTRACT
The case is geographically situated in the Danube river basin that covers 17 European countries. The main river is 2,857 km long and drains 817,000 km2 including all of Hungary; most parts of Romania, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and Slovakia; and significant parts of Bulgaria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Moldova and the Ukraine. Territories of Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and small parts of Italy, Switzerland, Albania and Poland are also included in the basin. The Danube River discharges into the Black Sea through a delta, which is the second largest natural wetland area in Europe. The main goal of the REC (Regional Environmental Centre) initiative was to improve awareness and encourage participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in developing integrated river basin management plans in countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The REC Country Offices coordinated nine national workshops in each of the beneficiary countries. National seminars engaged twenty participants from the NGO sector and the relevant water authorities in discussions on their involvement in the national Danube river basin management plans. In addition, REC Slovakia organized an international seminar for NGO representatives who proposed a model for civil society participation in national River Basin Management Plans based on their national specifics.

Lessons Learned
Public and NGO participation could play an important role in relation to the Water Framework Directive through attention raising, information dissemination, watch dog activities and facilitation of transboundary cooperation in many aspects. Water issue oriented NGOs are among the most active environmental civic groups, but they need technical and financial assistance at national and international level and were faced with a number of obstacles in this area regarding the Danube cooperation: Especially EU accession programs are standardized and sometimes do not consider varying horizontal and vertical structures, conditions and dynamics in regard to country needs. Information about assistance is not adequately disseminated, especially at the local level. Some support programs to accession countries are too large for alternative small-scale infrastructure projects, and their co-financing exceeds capacities of local stakeholders especially in rural settlement. The successful preparation and application of integrated river basin management plans requires a set of political will, technical support and financial resources. Development of river basin management plans is an excellent opportunity for NGOs to enter into a multi-stakeholder dialogue with state administration, municipalities, businesses and scientific institutions; it is also an opportunity to bring integrated views into the planning process, and to act as catalysts for the dialogue between stakeholders and the general public.

Importance for IWRM

Public participation is one of the four basic principles of IWRM; thus cases with examples on how to work with public participation in practise are important to disseminate in order to strengthen this aspect of IWRM in other countries and river basins. This case specifically deals with public participation in relation to the EU Water Framework Directive. Public participation is defined quite broadly in Article 14 Public Information and Consultation of this directive. The case raises awareness of NGOs, analyses their respective participation in the Danube river basin management plans, proposes roles which civil society organisations could play,, and finally provides a forum for further discussion.
Central and Eastern Europe - Civil society and planning in the Danube basin Case #120 1

Main tools used

B1.9 Civil society institutions and community-based organizations B2.1 Participatory capacity and empowerment in civil society C2.2 Basin management plans C4.2 Communication with stakeholders B1.2. Transboundary organisations for water resource management

MAIN TEXT
1 Background and problems
International efforts to protect the Danube basin have been active since 1991. Danube countries and the European Commission signed the Danube River Protection Convention in June 1994. However, a new opportunity to further improve the Danube's management has been presented by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). In October 2000, The European Parliament and European Union Council accepted Directive 2000/60 EC. This legislation established a framework for community action within the field of water policy, which came to be known, in shortened form, as the Water Framework Directive. The approval of this legislation opened an opportunity for active cooperation between EU member states and accession states, specifically in regard to the protection and usage of the vast water resources within the Danube River basin. Even though various European NGO representatives' expectations were not met, the WFD represents an important progress in solving water management problems. The WFD represents significant progress because it opens the opportunity for active public participation. This includes the active participation of the NGO sector at the national level, specifically during the creation of national river basin management plans (RBMPs). Active involvement of this kind is one of the key administrative instruments found within the entire WFD framework. Their applications in water management planning introduce tools similar to what has been used for many years in various countries (i.e. Environmental impact assessment processes). Moreover, Southern European countries (Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina) and countries of Eastern Europe (Moldova and Ukraine), which are not European Union members yet, agreed to participate in the preparation of the Danube international river basin plan and their respective national river basin plans. The proposed NGO roles do not represent the common positions of all NGOs in the countries of the Central and Eastern Europe. In some countries, the NGOs are still not seen as an equal partner of governmental institutions. One of the major problems still remains: lack of cooperation among stakeholders and horizontal approach to integrated water management. Involvement of the public in local integrated water management planning presents a big challenge for environmental civil society groups throughout the region.

Decisions and actions taken

The main goal of the initiative was to improve environmental awareness and encourage participation of NGOs in river basin management plans on national and international levels in Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia and Slovenia. The initiative officially started on 1 September 2001 and ran until 20 December 2001. REC Country Offices coordinated nine national workshops in each of the participating countries, and REC Slovakia held a two-day regional workshop in December 2001. During the project activities, civil society representatives discussed their roles and participation in the national Danube river basin plans within the international context. An additional outcome was the summary report, NGO Participation in Danube River Basin Management Plans: Information, Analysis and Conclusions, edited by Jeremey M. Alcorn.
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National seminars National seminars were organised in Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia and Slovenia. Generally, twenty participants from the NGO sector and the relevant water authorities in each country discussed their involvement and cooperation in national Danube river basin management plans. These meetings also facilitated the selection of two national from each country representatives for the international seminar. International seminar The international seminar was held on December 13-14, 2001 in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. It brought together over 20 multi-national participants from nine Danube river basin countries (Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia and Slovenia) to discuss their roles and participation on their national river basin management plans. This meeting facilitated the discussion of existing policies, strategies and conventions. Specifically, it provided the participants with additional background relevant to the EU Water Framework Directive within the international context. This discussion focused mainly on a role of the civil society (and individual NGOs) in the river basin management plans preparation and implementation in the countries of central and Eastern Europe. All participants contributed with valuable insights into different national conditions. Hungarian representatives presented their list of roles which was accepted as a model for national NGO communities could potentially play. A secondary issue that was developed through the discussion was: How to develop and support the NGOs for their chosen roles in the RBMP process? Participants illustrated the significant differences in the challenges that face their respective NGO communities. The lack of appropriate assistance and information in targeted areas within each country was identified as a significant obstacle in effective public participation in the national river basin management plans preparation. Summary report The summary report NGO Participation in Danube River Basin Management Plans: Information, Analysis and Conclusions is based on the information developed through the course of the project as well as the outputs from the consultation process, which started at the international seminar in December 2001. The report contains results of the national and international seminars and consultations; the assessment of NGO roles and needs; conclusions and various related appendices.

Civil society and the Danube basin planning in central and Eastern Europe Case #120

Outcomes

Description of expected and unexpected outcomes Expected outcomes of the initiative were nine national and one international seminars and the creation of a web page on relevant water issues. There is an additional outcome, NGO role analysis and needs assessment compiled from the results, developed during the national and international meetings as well as the information collected during the consultation process. Among other findings, the analysis pointed out that European Union support programs for NGOs in central and Eastern Europe are standardized, and sometimes exceed capacities of small local level organizations. National granting schemes must be included in national strategies and planning documents and developed to effectively support citizens participation in integrated river basin management. Resources The Environmental Project Fund of the United Kingdoms Foreign and Commonwealth Office financially supported the initiative. Regarding human resources, local water specialists and REC Country Offices experts facilitated project implementation in 9 central and Eastern European countries. They contributed with a valuable knowledge of local conditions and water management related issues in their respective countries. Results The initiative improved awareness and broadened participation of non-governmental organizations in water resources management in Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia and Slovenia. Model of participation that was adopted serves as a tool for NGOs and other stakeholders while the analytical method can be used by national governments or international donors in designing of their granting schemes. Impact of the action On the national level, the participation roles can be used by non-governmental organizations that are aware of how to participate in river basin management plans development. Events on national and international level supported not only NGO networking but also cooperation with other stakeholders (water authorities, public administration, municipalities and academic institutions). The international meeting facilitated cooperation within the Danube region-wide NGO platform, the Danube Environmental Forum. Conclusions The participants in the different seminars agreed to produce a summary report with proposals for public and NGO participation in the EU Water Framework Directive. This report compiled national and international seminar results as well as the information collected during the consultation process. REC Slovakia disseminated to international seminar participants proposed NGO community roles based on the Hungarian document. The feedback was used in developing a summary document reflecting the role(s) and needs that had been selected by the participants. The product was again distributed to the participants for comments and eventually compiled into the final summary report. Sustainability The initiative provided non-governmental organizations in the Danube river basin central and Eastern European countries with tools for participation in integrated river basin management plans development and effective communication with stakeholders. Although the initiative activities have come to an end, the web page is still providing information on relevant water issues. Finally, sustainability of the project depends also on national governments commitments to fully comply with Water Framework Directive and allocation of sufficient human and financial resources for the implementation phase.
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Civil society and the Danube basin planning in central and Eastern Europe Case #120

Lessons learned and replicability

Proposed public and NGO participation in the EU Water Framework Directive The NGO community in Central and Eastern Europe could play the following roles within the Water Framework Directive: Raising NGO attention and enhancing information dissemination on the WFD within the national NGO sector. Disseminating information about the WFD and the national river basin management plan development process to the general public at the national, regional, and local levels. Developing public awareness of the issues emphasized in the WFD and the national river basin management plan. Actively assisting in the elaboration and development of the national strategy and process in regard to the transposition of the WFD within the spheres of legal measures, scientific research and development, institutional capacity building, and public participation instruments (i.e. active cooperative approach through the development and elaboration of the integrated river basin management plan). Facilitating the cooperation for the transposition of the WFD and, consequently, the national river basin management plan. NGOs with appropriate experience and capacity would be contributing to the regional and local research and development applicable for the river basin management plan compilation and elaboration. Watch dog activities especially with regard to designation of Heavily Modified Water Bodies and exemptions from river basin plan programme of measures. Assisting in the preparation and development of the river basin management plan. Facilitating public participation in the river basin management plan elaboration processes.

Technical and financial assistance to support NGO participation in the EU Water Framework Directive Water issues oriented NGOs are among the most active environmental civic groups. However, they lack targeted technical and financial assistance on national and international level. During the time of the project implementation, many of the central and Eastern European countries were heading towards EU accession, and NGOs were applying for accession funding programs (mainly PHARE) while those from Southern Europe were benefiting from similar programs (REReP - Regional Environmental Reconstruction Programme for South Eastern Europe). The following conclusions could be drawn from the analysis of NGO needs which are not limited only to EU programs, but are also applicable to various bi-lateral assistance programs (Alcorn, 2002): EU accession programs are standardized and sometimes do not consider the varying horizontal and vertical structures, conditions and dynamics in regard to country needs. Information about assistance is not adequately disseminated, especially on the local level. Some support programs to accession countries are too large for alternative small-scale infrastructure projects in rural areas. The legislative primarily focuses on settlements with more than 2000 inhabitants and therefore, smaller communities lack adequate support from the central level.

Roles and needs of NGOs Not surprisingly, roles and needs of NGO communities in Central and Eastern Europe are very diverse and depend on different national conditions. The EU Water Framework Directive represents significant progress because it opens the opportunity for active participation of the civil society. However, the successful preparation and application of integrated river basin management plans goes beyond Water Framework Directive and requires a concerted set of political will, technical support and financial resources. Development of river basin management plans is an excellent opportunity for NGOs to enter a multi stakeholder dialogue with state administration, municipalities, businesses and scientific institutions and to bring
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integrated solutions into this fairly complex process. Especially on the local level, NGOs are acting as a catalyst of the dialogue between stakeholders and general public. The case provides the model for civil society involvement in integrated water management plans that can be used in other regions while its conclusions can assist in designing of effective earmarked support programs.

References
Alcorn, J., (2002): NGO Participation in the Danube River Basin Management Plans: Information, analysis and conclusions, REC Slovakia, Bratislava Mller, R., (2002): NGO Participation in the river basin management plans according to EU Water Framework Directive, EU Integration Bulletin, REC Slovakia, Bratislava Alcorn, J., Mller, R., (2002): Visegrad Agenda 21 Transition from centrally planned economy to sustainable society? Conference proceedings, countries proceedings, Tebick, V., Novk, J., (eds) pages 217-220, Prague

Contacts
Contact name: Richard Mller Organization: GWP CEE Regional Secretariat Address: c/o SHMU, Jeseniova 17, 833 15 Bratislava, Slovakia Tel.: (+421 2) 5941 5294 Fax: (+421 2) 5941 5294 E-mail: rmuller@post.sk Web: www.gwpceeforum.org

Civil society and the Danube basin planning in central and Eastern Europe Case #120