Summary of the project „Developing of institution connections in the spirit of the cross-border water agreement” HUSK 0801/072 Bence Kisgyörgy

Content of presentation  Aim of the project  Activities  Recommendations  Possibilities for future cooperation

HUSK 0801/072 project  Lead Beneficiary: North Hungarian Environment and Water Directorate (ÉKÖVIZIG) on the Hungarian side  Project Partner: Slovak Water Management Inc. in Košice (SVP š.p. OZ Košice) on the Slovakian side Approved by the Joint Monitoring Committee, in the frame of the Hungary-Slovakia Cross-Border Co-operation Programme

Aim of the project  To develop the institutional connections between the water management institutions in the two countries  Cooperation of the partner organizations  more efficient flood and inland inundation prevention, and environmental protection measures

Summary of project meetings ActivityDateLocation HungarySlovakia Opening conference 31st March 2010.Miskolc Professional workshops (2 x 4 days) 12-15th April th April Miskolc 1. Water Management Seminar 6-8th July 2010.Kosice 2. Flood Protection and Prevention Seminar 22-24th June 2010.Tokaj 3. Environment and Water Quality Protection Seminar 20-22nd September Michalovce 4. Excess Water Protection and Water Damage Prevention Seminar 5-7th October 2010.Sárospatak Infopoint conference 27th October 2010.Miskolc Final conference 8th November 2010.Kosice

 Workshops  Seminars  Conferences Activities

 Dates: April April 2010  Aims: Enable participants to develop deeper understanding in the HUSK 0801/072 project Get acquainted with each other, enhance ability and willingness to communicate effectively Correct use of a common language  improve communication between the partners becoming familiar with the technical vocabulary of water related terms enhancement of the professional English language skills of the water management experts Workshops

Activities on the workshops  Vocabulary practice and discussions in many aspects of water management  Practical recommendations about telephone and written communication, and giving presentations  Preparation of the following seminars  Presentations about flood and excess water protection and prevention systems, and the Water Framework Directive  Elaboration of a trilingual, English-Hungarian-Slovakian glossary on water related terms  Elaboration of an informative correspondance-table (contact list)

Seminars (1.)  Water Management Seminar 6-8 July 2010, Košice Professional presentations on river basin management planning, water reservoirs Study tour to Medzev water works Formulation of recommendations in the topic of water management to the Tisza and Catchment Area Subcommittee of the Hungarian-Slovak Cross-border Waters Committe

Seminars (2.)  Flood Protection and Prevention Seminar June 2010, Tokaj Professional presentations on flood and river management activities, flood protection systems, flood warning and forecasting system Study tour: Tokaj and Tiszalök (river regulation constructions and the Tiszalök barrage) Formulation of recommendations in the topic of flood protection and prevention

Seminars (3.)  Environment and Water Quality Protection Seminar September 2010, Michalovce Professional presentations on water quality protection, measures of protection of surface waters, environmental damage prevention Study tour on the Michalovce-Petrovce-Polder Beša route, and visiting Lake Vinné in Michalovce. Measuring the characteristic points of the water structures by GPS Visit to the professional water exhibition of the SVP s.p. OZ in Michalovce Formulation of recommendations in the topic of environment and water quality protection

Seminars (4.)  Excess Water Protection and Water Damage Prevention Seminar 5-7 October 2010, Sárospatak Professional presentations on the technologies and practices of excess water protection, flash floods, drainage systems, floods valuation and internal water management Study tour to Cigánd-Tiszakarádi flood retention reservoir and Ricse pumping station. Measuring the characteristic points of the water structures by GPS Formulation of recommendations in the topic of excess water protection and water damage prevention

Conferences  Opening conference 31st March Miskolc Official opening of the project  Infopoint conference 27th October Miskolc Presentation of the Infopoint in Miskolc Presentations about information availability  Final conference 8th November Kosice Presentation of the Infopoint in Kosice Official closure of the project

Recommendations formulated during the seminars  Closer cooperation, harmonizing measures and provisions to increase efficiency  Processing the pilot River Basin Management Plan, proposing measures on both sides to achieve good water status as required by Water Framework Directive  Finding potential financial sources for implementation  Enhancing natural storage capacity to improve the effectiveness of flood protection measures  Finding new retention capacities and restore natural flood plains  Creating systematical network of ponds and polders  Creating and updating flood forecasting models  Increasing joint flood risk management efforts on local level

Recommendations formulated during the seminars  Discuss measures which may affect the quality or quantity of surface and subsurface waters  Regular exchange of operational data and prognosis of the water structures, and the data collected at water monitoring points  Prevention of the extreme pollutions, participation in common damage protection training  Elaborating joint Slovak-Hungarian conception to the utilization of wastes from surface water  Elaborating common suggestions for information transfer in case of flood situations  Reconstruction of pumping stations, searching for financial solutions  Continue cooperation beyond the HUSK project in order to consolidate achievements and secure long-term benefits

EU Strategy for the Danube Region The European Council has formally asked the European Commission to prepare an EU Strategy for the Danube Region stating in its conclusions of 19 June 2009

Countries concerned  Trans-regional  8 member states of the EU  6 not-member states Germany (Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria), Austria, the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine (the regions along the Danube)

Approach  Draws on the experience of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region  Takes into account the different nature of the Danube Region  In particular, such a strategy involves the relevant partners aiming at finding agreed solutions to common challenges / opportunities and providing a governance mechanism for a common strategic approach, as well as for the implementation of specific actions / projects.

Timing  During the first half of 2010, the Commission consulted the relevant stakeholders  Thereby it takes stock of the actions / projects which would be useful to implement in the coming months / years.  the Commission will propose an Action Plan and a governance system to be formally adopted in December 2010 in the form of a Communication on the EU Strategy for the Danube Region

The 3 pillars of ESDR  To improve connectivity and communication systems (covering in particular transport, energy issues and the information society);  To preserve the environment and prevent against natural risks;  To reinforce the potential for socio-economic development.

Priorities To improve connectivity and communication systems: Improving the accessibility and mobility The integration of energy, energy efficiency and renewable energy use

Priorities To preserve the environment and prevent against natural risks: Conservation and maintaining biodiversity, landscape, air and soil Maintaining and improving water quality Natural and man-made risk management

Priorities To reinforce the potential for socio-economic development: Knowledge and innovation Support for business competitiveness and the Common Market Information Society The full exploitation of human resources in the Danube region To promote social integration in the Danube region To promote culture and tourism along the Danube

Priorities Development of institutional systems: Institutional capacities and strengthen cooperation Security against criminal issues and corruption

Proposed framework for future cooperation  Maintaining and improving water quality  Natural and man-made risk management

Maintaining and improving water quality  Key priority to focus on for SK and HU in the frame of crossboundary cooperation  Water Framework Directive is under implementation in both countries  Watershed management plans are under preparation (HU – national level is finished; sub-catchments are under preparation)  As we know, there was HU-SK coordination during the planning procedure, but the regional instutions were not involved. (Centrally organised)  Essential tasks: To summarize the common results To assess the possibility of preparing a common watershed management plan on crossboundary water courses

Natural and man-made risk management In frame of the cooperation our essential task:  To assess the possibility of preparing common floodrisk management strategic plans For both:  To use the available financial resources and EU grants

Thank you for your attention!