News

For many countries in the Danube region, achieving universal access to water services while safeguarding water resources remains a significant challenge, particularly in rural areas.

The ICPDR is excited to announce the launch of our digital newsletter, "Danube Watch", marking a new era in our ongoing commitment to the Danube River Basin. This newsletter, scheduled to reach your inbox up to four times a year, is your portal to the latest stories and updates from the vibrant world of the Danube.

The official website of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, www.icpdr.org, has undergone a complete makeover. Over the years, our website has grown in content, making navigation increasingly challenging. Our new design not only enhances accessibility through intuitive navigation but also adheres to cutting-edge usability standards.

The Danube Declaration 2022, the result of the 4th ICPDR Ministerial Meeting, presents a comprehensive overview of crucial initiatives and goals for the region. To make the Declaration more accessible to the general public, the ICPDR's Public Participation Expert Group has condensed its content into a concise summary. The outcome is a 3-page brochure that summarizes the main messages and implications of the Declaration in an easy-to-understand format.

The 2021 Annual Report provides detailed insight into an eventful year for the ICPDR– from the updates of the two Management plans and the return of in-person Danube Day events to the completion of the fourth Joint Danube Survey (JDS4). The 2021 Annual Report depicts this broad spectrum of ICPDR activities. It illustrates the ICPDRʼs ever-broadening commitment as needed by the multi-faceted nature of the Danube River itself.

The European Commission proposes to cut the use of chemical pesticides in half by 2030, one of the flagship legislative proposals to follow the Biodiversity and Farm to Fork Strategies. The new rules on chemical pesticides will reduce the environmental footprint of the EU's food system, protect the health and well-being of citizens and agricultural workers, and help mitigate the pesticide use-related economic losses.

The ICPDR has published a Guidance Document on Sustainable Agriculture, along with a Policy Paper.

The first “International Workshop on Water and Agriculture in the Danube River Basin“ will take place on 6-7 November 2019 in Budapest, Hungary. The workshop is co-organised by the ICPDR together with the Hungarian Ministry of Interior, the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture and the Danube Strategy Priority Area 4 and hosted by the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture.

Discussions have begun on what the EC’s post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will look like, specifically wishing to detail a framework for “future-proof” policy. With that in mind, ambitions regarding environmental and climate protection are due to be heightened responding to international commitments, EU environmental challenges, and above all, changing societal expectations. In response to the post-2020 CAP proposals, the ICPDR has published a Position Paper, outlining our positive response to the proposals, and suggesting a way forward for the Danube River Basin.

Vienna, 12 December 2018 - This morning WWF presented a Gift to the Earth, its highest award, to the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) at a ceremony at the UN in Vienna.