evaluation of the study visit - Mekong River Commission

Learning Points
MRC Study Visit to the Danube River Basin 2012
Below, important learning points are outlined, with a view to providing focus to the Study Visit. Some
of the learning points are inter-related or overlapping. At the end of the Study Visit, The BDP
Programme will evaluate how well the participants have achieved these learning points.
1) The EU Water Framework Directive and the preparation of river basin plans
� What is the EU Water Framework Directive and what has been the value of having very
strong overarching legislation that directs the approach, methods and process of river
basin planning and management?
� How could this happen in Europe with many sovereign countries?
� Could something similar happen in the Mekong region?
2) Preparation and implementation of the Danube River Basin Management Plan
� What is the purpose of the Danube River Basin Management Plan, how was the plan
prepared, and what are the main principles?
� How would the Danube River Basin Management Plan look like without the EU Water
Framework Directive?
� How are the required data collected and managed in databases of the Commission for
the preparation and implementation of the Plan? What does the commission do if basin
countries do not provide the data required?
� How are the lack of data, knowledge gaps, uncertainties and risks addressed?
� How does the plan of measures (action plan) look like for the different parts of the
basin? Were measures identified at the basin-wide level that were not identified at the
national level? How were such basin-wide measures harmonized and/or integrated with
the national and local plan of measures?
� How were climate change impacts considered in the Plan?
� How was the considerable difference in financial and human capacities between the
western and eastern European countries overcome in the planning process?
� How is the plan of measures being implemented at the basin-wide, national and local
scales? What are the challenges?
� How does the Commission monitor and evaluate the implementation of the plan of
measures at the national level? What are the main ‘carrots’ and ‘sticks’?
� Is the plan going to achieve good status of the countries’ water bodies as required by the
EU Water Framework Directive? Or is more legislation and funding needed in order to
comply with the Directive?
� What are the main differences with basin development planning in the Mekong Basin?
� What ‘lessons’ can be learned from basin planning in Danube Basin for basin-wide
planning in the Mekong Basin, including the interaction between national and basinwide
planning, the financing of basin-wide planning, capacity building to create a ‘level
playing field’ for between basin countries, basin-wide cost and benefit sharing, the
increasing focus on management in the Mekong Basin to complement the focus on
development, the exchange of data and information between basin countries, the role
of basin-wide procedures and (best practice) guidelines, and relevant ‘carrots and
sticks’ to promote transboundary cooperation and compliance with basin-wide
procedures?
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