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12th International "EUROPE-INBO 2014"Conference

DECLARATION OF BUCHAREST The 12th conference of the ”EUROPEINBO” group took place in Bucharest, Romania, from 12 to 15 November 2014, at the invitation of the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the National Agency ”APELE ROMANE” and the National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management.
 
It gathered 134 participants, repre - sentatives of national administrations and basin organizations as well as of NGOs, companies, international and regional organizations, coming from 33 countries.
 
The work of the conference was organized around four roundtables addressing the following issues:
  • Preparation of the 2nd Basin Management Plans of the European Water Framework Directive (2016 - 2021);
  • Natural Water Retention Measures and River Restoration;
  • Implementation and funding of Programs of Measures;
  • Water governance in Transboundary Basins.
 
Prior to the ”EUROPE-INBO” conference, two workshops were organized:
  • A technical workshop on river restoration and Natural Water Retention Measures;
  • A workshop on the European regional process of the 7th World Water Forum. 
 
The conference allowed reminding that the preparation of the next Basin Management Plans required integrating water quantity issues, adaptation to climate change and better coordinating the directives between themselves and ensure a link with sectoral policies (agriculture, energy, navigation…).
 
Just before implementing the second Management Plans, coordination with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Flood Directive appears essential.
 
The participants were pleased with the holding of joint meetings between the Water, Marine Environment and Nature Managers at European level and with the organization by the European Commission of a joint work - shop on water, nature and marine strategy in December 2014 to think about coordinating the directives implementation in these three sectors.
 
Since the release of the ”Blueprint”, there has been a better consideration of the quantitative issues in WFD management plans and tools. This is particularly the case through the production of guidance documents on water accounts. The development of scarcity and drought management plans in many countries are going in the good direction.
 
Communication with populations about progress made in the status of Water Bodies in 2015 is to be increased insofar as that recovering good status will take time.
 
Non-point source pollution and hydromorphology are the most significant pressures affecting rivers.
 
To move forward, it is necessary to progress towards better integration among the European Directives (Flood Directive, Habitats Directive, Birds Directive and the Renewable Energy Directive) and improve the coordination and complete it with sectoral policies of the Union (CAP, energy, transports, etc.). Better integrated basin management is necessary to ensure the restoration and protection of water ecosystems or apply Natural Water Retention Measures.
 
It is necessary to better integrate the various policies, communicate on the benefits of river restoration and Natural Water Retention Measures, mobilize the partners from the different sectors concerned.
In addition, better commitment of local communities in ecosystem restoration projects is needed with a greater mobilization of the elected representatives for these projects.
The lack of knowledge of the multiple benefits of “green infrastructure” is an obstacle to its implementation on a large scale, especially in the Basin Management Plans, Flood Risk Prevention, Natura 2000 actions and Rural Development Plans.  

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