The Danube programme: The challenge of international river-basin management

This paper highlights the key issues which affected the design and implemen tation of water policy within the first phase of the Environmental Programm e for the Danube River Basin. The programme represents one of several regio nal environmental initiatives in Eastern Europe which were designed to cont rol pollution through the coordinated actions of national governments, inte rnational organizations, international financial institutions and non-gover nmental organizations. The paper identifies three key controversial findings. Firstly although the programme has been a valuable tool for the skins and technology transfer w hich are necessary to enable the Danube states to control water pollution, it has failed to generate the anticipated levels of capital investment or e stablish itself as a cornerstone of Danube basin management. Secondly, the policy process has been beset by political, economic, social and historical conflicts and power struggles between the participating parties. Thirdly, valuable lessons for the strategic and sustainable management of internatio nal river basins can be learned from the operational experiences of the Dan ube programme.