Europe - UNEP

Pont de Pierre Bridge over the Garonne River at Bordeaux in southwest France. Photo credit: Roger Admiral.
Convention on the protection against pollution by
chlorides.
4.5 INSTITUTIONAL
ARRANGEMENTS
The above sections have shown that river basin
commissions provide an important mechanism by
which to ensure that the above substantive and
procedural rules are effectively implemented. The
main task of such commissions is to act as a
forum whereby information can be gathered and
assessed, basin-wide decisions made, and the
engagement of all stakeholders can be
accommodated.
The tasks of joint commissions can vary
considerably. A recent UNECE survey concluded
that many commissions performed tasks relating
to the prevention, control, and reduction of
pollution, including identifying pollution sources,
inventories, and exchanges of information on
pollution sources, establishing joint monitoring
programmes, early warning and alarm systems as
well as emission limits on waste water (UNECE,
2005). In the case of the Rhine Commission,
water quality objectives have been defined,
regularly monitored, and water quality is
evaluated against such objectives. Further
emission measures are then adopted if water
quality objectives are unmet. The UNECE survey
also highlights a number of other tasks being
undertaken in varying degrees by joint
commissions, including the cooperation and
exchange of information on the best available
technology, the implementation of environmental
impact assessment, and acting as a forum for the
exchange of information between governments,
municipalities, interest groups, and other
stakeholders.
The EU WFD requires member countries to
coordinate their activities over international river
basins. Within the EU around 30% of river basin
districts are designated international, accounting
for approximately 66% of the total area of river
basin districts (Nilsson, 2004); therefore,
international river basin districts account for a
large percentage of EU waters. Where river
basins are shared by member countries, no
obligation exists requiring the assignment of a
competent authority for the entire river basin;
however, member countries may do so if they
wish. If member countries choose not to assign a
competent international authority to the river basin,
60 — Hydropolitical Vulnerability and Resilience along International Waters: Europe