EU – Moldova cooperation for the protection and sustainable use of the Prut and Danube waters

With support of the EU4Environment Water Resources and Environmental Data Programme, on 2-3 November 2022, in Chişinău was conducted the 2nd Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Hydrotechnical Commission for the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Government of Romania regarding cooperation for the protection and sustainable use of the Prut and Danube waters, signed in Chişinău on 28 June, 2010.  

After more than 11 years, the Intergovernmental Commission for the implementation of the Agreement on cooperation for the protection and sustainable use of the Prut and Danube waters held its 2nd regular session from 2-3 November 2022, in Chişinău. The meeting was possible to organize thanks to the EU4Environment Water resources and Environmental data Programme, and was jointly organised with the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Moldova.

 The cooperation Agreement between Moldova and Romania was signed in June 2010 and applies to the Prut River, joint sector of the Danube River, the transboundary aquifers and the Costești–Stânca hydro-technical node on the Prut River. Its purpose is to establish the legal cooperation framework for, among others, the following activities:

• operation of the Costești-Stânca hydrotechnical node on the Prut River; 
• joint consultations and activities in order to implement the EU Water Framework Directive and Floods Directive;
• operational exchange of data and information; 
• creation of a common warning system about dangerous phenomena (floods, droughts, ice).

At the meeting, the Moldovan delegation presented the initiative to enlarge the collaboration between countries. Thus, Moldovan delegation proposed to extend the collaboration from managing only common transboundary waters to the entire river basin, as well as involving Ukrainian experts to work on the entire Prut River Basin and Danube Delta. This, trilateral initiative would work at the expert level, under the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) umbrella. EU4Environment Water and Data Programme will support the countries to establish this collaboration and will support organisation of the first trilateral working meeting next year. 

EU will continue to support and develop the transboundary cooperation of Republic of Moldova with its neighbours on managing and protection of the international river basins. Thus, helping Moldova fulfilling its international commitments and getting closer to the EU family.