Water protection strategies - Critical discussion in regard to the Danube river basin

The River Danube has been a link between Central and Eastern Europe for age s. After the breakdown of the iron curtain new chances for political, econo mic and cultural development appeared. In regard to water protection the Da nube catchment is closely linked to the Black Sea. In order re, fulfil the task of water protection different strategies are discussed, based on EU wa ter policy on the one hand and the experience gained from central European development which has a long tradition in solving the problems of multinati onal river basins on the other. The conclusion is that the success will ver y much depend on convincing all countries in the basin that water protectio n is a local, regional, national and international task which needs close c o-operation of politicians, economists, engineers and natural scientists at all levels of administration, education and operation. Universities and pr ofessional associations will play an important role. The Danube Protection Commission (ICPDR) will have the difficult task of establishing confidence between the countries and to develop a common strategy adapted to the speci al conditions in the Danube catchment. (C) 1999 IAWQ Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.