Danube Day: Spotlight on EU Cross-Border Water Cooperation

June 29 marks 31 years since the signing of the Convention on the Protection of the Danube River in Sofia, Bulgaria.

As climate change intensifies and the demand for water continues to grow, water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource. This amplifies competition for access to limited water supplies and creates risks of tension or conflict both between countries and within communities. Against this backdrop, the Danube Region demonstrates an example of effective cross-border water management.

Under the auspices of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), which includes 14 countries and the European Union, the countries of the region have committed to implementing the Convention on Cooperation for the Protection and Sustainable Use of the Danube River (1994). This initiative has become a model for cross-border river basin management worldwide.

The ICPDR coordinates efforts of the countries in the following areas:

• joint management of surface and groundwater,
• implementation of the ecosystem approach,
• prevention and control of water pollution,
• adaptation to climate change.

Through integrated water resources management, the countries of the Danube basin not only minimize the risks of conflict, but also ensure sustainable, fair, and safe use of water resources.

Moreover, the ICPDR actively supports the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular:

• SDG 6 — Clean water and sanitation,
• SDG 13 — Climate action,
• SDG 16 — Peace, justice and strong institutions.

Thanks to its stable performance, the ICPDR contributes to peace, stability, environmental security, and sustainable economic development in the region, serving as a model of effective multilateral cooperation in water management.