News & Media

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.

As the climate crisis worsens, severe droughts devastate European landscapes. According to the data published by the European Drought Observatory, more than 60% of land in the European Union and United Kingdom – an area nearly the same size as India (!) – is now affected by drought conditions. The Danube River Basin and the Danube itself have been affected by serious droughts in the past, e.g., in 2003, 2015, and now again one of the most feared natural phenomenon has gripped much of the Danube River Basin.

Istanbul, 21 April 2012. The Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (Bucharest Convention) celebrated its 20th Anniversary. Since the signing in Bucharest, the Convention has become a powerful instrument of International Environmental Law in the Black Sea Basin.

Istanbul, 12 April 2012. At a meeting on 12 April 2012, representatives of the ICPDR and the International Black Sea Protection Commission expressed their understanding of joint responsibility for the management of water. As the main tributary to the Black Sea, the water quality of the Danube is directly linked to sensitive environment of the Black Sea.

Vienna, 9 November 2007 – Four Hungarian children have won the ‘International Danube Art Master 2007’ competition, announced Philip Welller, Executive Secretary of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) today. Mr. Weller made the announcement at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics together with Gyula Hollo, Head of the Hungarian Delegation to the ICPDR.

Belgrade, 11 October 2007 - The five ministers responsible for water management in Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia announced their support for actions protecting the Tisza River Basin from pollution, floods and drought. The announcement was made at a 14:00 press conference today during the second day of the Sixth ‘Environment for Europe Conference’ in Belgrade, Serbia.

Mississippi Basin, 1 August 2007. An ICPDR and ISRBC delegation has visited Mississippi River Commission

Vienna, 4 September 2007 - The ICPDR has won the Australian $300,000 (approx. 180,000 Euro) International Thiess Riverprize 2007 for excellence in water management in the Danube River Basin. The announcement was made today, in Brisbane, Australia, during a special award ceremony at the 10th annual International Riversymposium held 3-6 September 2007.

Danube Basin, 29 June 2007. The rich and varied history and traditions of the countries sharing the Danube River Basin will be at the heart of festivities marking the fourth annual International Danube Day (June 29).



Under the theme, ‘Celebrating Danube Cultures’, a large number of educational, entertainment and recreational activities will be held this week to commemorate the anniversary of the Danube River Protection Convention.

Bucharest, 23 February 2007. The European Commission and Environment Ministers from all countries of the Danube River Basin and Black Sea region adopted a Declaration on the Enhancement of Cooperation during a High Level Meeting in Bucharest, Romania. The Declaration recognizes the important values of the region, historical damage it has undergone and recent signs of environmental recovery as a result of cooperative actions.