Objectives: To ensure sustainable and equitable water management of the Danube River, including the conservation, improvement and the rational use of surface waters and ground water in the catchment area; to control the hazards originating from accidents; and to contribute to reducing the pollution loads of the Black Sea from sources in the catchment area.
Summary of provisions: (a) Applies to the catchment area of the Danube River, and the activities and measures which are subject to the Convention include; the discharge of wastes waters, the input of nutrients and hazardous substances, heat discharge, planned activities and measures regarding water construction works or water use, the operation of the existing hydrotechnical constructions, measures to prevent environment impact or protect the ecosystems, the handling of substances hazardous to water, and the precautionary prevention of accidents (art. 3); (b) Parties to cooperate on fundamental water management issues and take appropriate legal, administrative and technical measures through setting priorities and strengthening and coordinating measures throughout the Danube Basin aiming at sustainable development and environmental protection of the Danube River (art. 2.(2) and (3)); (c) The polluter pays principle and the precautionary principle constitute a basis for all measures aiming at the protection of the Danube River and of the water within its catchment area (art. 2(4)); water management cooperation be oriented on sustainable water management (art. 2(5)); (d) Parties to develop, adopt and implement relevant legal, administrative and technical measures to ensure efficient water quality protection and sustainable water use, and to prevent, control and reduce transboundary impact (arts. 5 and 6); to impose emission limits on industry based on the best available techniques and to develop water quality objectives and apply water quality criteria for preventing, controlling and reducing transboundary impact (art. 7); to periodically prepare inventories of the relevant sources of pollution within the catchment area of Danube River and list of measures taken which provide the basis for developing joint action programmes (art. 8); (e) Parties to cooperate in the field of monitoring and assessment (art. 9); to consult on planned activities which are likely to cause transboundary impacts (art. 11); to exchange information, and to facilitate the exchange between themselves of best available techniques (art. 12); to provide the public with access to relevant information (art. 14); establish scientific or technical research programmes (art. 15); to provide for coordinated or joint communication, warning and alarm systems in the basin-wide context and consult on harmonizing domestic communication, warning and alarm systems and emergency plans (art. 16.1); (f) Establishes the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River to implement the objectives and provisions of the Convention (art. 18), and Parties to report to the International Commission on basic issues required for the Commission to carry out its work (art. 10); (g) Parties to provide mutual assistance upon request, and the International Commission to elaborate procedures for such assistance (art. 17); (h) Contains annexes describing best available techniques and best environmental practice (Annex I), listing industrial sectors and hazardous substances (Annex II); setting out general guidance on water quality objectives and criteria (Annex III), setting fourth the Statute of the International Commission (Annex IV), and setting out the arbitration procedure (Annex V).
(Source: UNEP Register of International Treaties and Other Agreements in the Field of the Environment, 2005)