**5. Conclusion**

The so-far experience in the *FASRB* implementation indicates a number of advantages of the presented approach, showing that the approach is:




Accordingly, the main prerequisites for an effective further implementation of the *FASRB*





The so-far experience in the *FASRB* implementation indicates a number of advantages of the





projects, especially those to be performed under the umbrella of the ISRBC;

officially nominated as responsible for implementation of the *FASRB*, and

stakeholders from the governmental and non-governmental sectors.

relevant stakeholders;

include:

**5. Conclusion** 

main water users, in the Sava river basin, and

activities coordinated by the ISRBC;

presented approach, showing that the approach is:

sustainability and development aspects);

obtained on a regional (Danube) scale;


involvement activities;

national regulation, methodologies and procedures;

development of a system for data collection, processing and analysis in line with the Eurostat, regular data collection and processing, and dissemination of the data to - pragmatic and practical, providing concrete "products" to the Parties, such as joint plans, development programs, protocols, harmonized regulation, integrated systems for the whole basin, etc.

The *FASRB* has proven to be a good platform for intensified contacts and an improved cooperation among the Parties, providing opportunities for exchange of experiences and an additional training of the experts from the region. It also provides for an improved intersectoral cooperation, especially among the competent authorities, within each of the Parties.

However, a number of challenges and (existing or potential) obstacles for the *FASRB* implementation have been identified. These are, generally, associated with:


Major obstacles and difficulties in the *FASRB* implementation are associated with a lack of human and financial resources of the Parties, as well as securing funds for implementation of the priority projects. The additional challenge is a limited access to basic data (topographic, hydrologic, etc.), needed for preparation of studies of common interest under the umbrella of the ISRBC, especially when the data are owned by national institutions not officially nominated as responsible for implementation of the *FASRB*.

Some challenges are associated with specific fields of the *FASRB* implementation. For example, on national level, the inland navigation is, although being the most efficient and environmentally-friendly mode of transport, generally underestimated in comparison with other modes of transport. Or, progress in the fields of water protection and hazard management, where requirements toward the Parties are based on recommendations and conclusions of the ISRBC (unlike the ISRBC decisions in the field of navigation, having a binding character for the Parties), is partly affected by a different perception of the requirements by the competent authorities of the Parties.

In some Parties, additional obstacles include lack of appropriate institutional arrangements and lack of harmonization of the legislation with the EU *acquis*. There is also a space for improvement of bilateral cooperation, where the ISRBC is perceived as a possible mediator.

The presented approach is considered as relevant to the processes on a wider (Danube and EU) scale, such as those associated with the *EU Strategy for the Danube Region* (*EUSDR*) and the *EU 2020 Strategy*, for several reasons:


Integrated Water Resources Management as a

*port*, Available from:

72-8, Stockholm

Zagreb

\_europe\_2020\_-\_en\_version.pdf

EC. (2010b). *EU Strategy for the Danube Region*, Available from:

*Framework Agreement on the Sava River Basin*, 2002, Available from: http://www.savacommission.org/basic\_docs

ICPDR. (2009). *Danube River Basin Management Plan*, Available from:

http://www.icpdr.org/icpdr-pages/mm2010.htm

http://www.savacommission.org/publication

ISRBC. (2008b). *Sava GIS Strategy*, Available from: http://www.savacommission.org/basic\_docs

http://www.icpdr.org/icpdr-pages/danube\_rbm\_plan\_ready.htm

ICPDR & ISRBC. (2009). *Flood Action Plan - Sava River Basin,* Available from:

Available from http://www.savacommission.org/basic\_docs

from http://www.savacommission.org/decision ISRBC. (2009d). *Sava River Basin Analysis Report*, Available from:

ISRBC. (2010a). *Protocol on Flood Protection to the FASRB*, Available from:

 http://www.savacommission.org/publication ISRBC. (2009e). *Sava River Basin Overview Map,* Available from: http://www.savacommission.org/publication

http://www.savacommission.org/basic\_docs

**7. References** 

Basis for Sustainable Development – The Case of the Sava River Basin 41

Biswas, A.K. (2004). Integrated Water Resources Management: A Reassessment, A Water Forum Contribution, IWRA, *Water International*, Vol. 29, No. 2, June 2004, 248-256 EC. (2006). *NAIADES – An Integrated European Action Programme for Inland Waterway Trans-*

EC. (2010a). *Europe 2020 – A European Strategy for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth*,

Global Water Partnership. (2000). Integrated Water Resources Management, *Technical Advisory Committee Background Paper No. 4*, Global Water Partnership, Stockholm Global Water Partnership & International Network of Basin Organizations. (2009).

ICPDR. (2010). *Danube Basin: Shared waters – Joint responsibilities*, Danube Declaration

ICPDR, Danube Commission & ISRBC. (2008). *Joint Statement on Guiding Principles for the* 

ISRBC. (2008a). *Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and Development of Navigation and Transport on Sava River Waterway*, Available from http://www.savacommission.org/project

ISRBC. (2009a). *Protocol on Prevention of Water Pollution caused by Navigation to the FASRB*,

ISRBC. (2009b). *Rehabilitation and Development of Navigation in the Sava River Basin*, ISRBC,

ISRBC. (2009c). Set of rules related to safety and technical issues of navigation, Available

*Basin*, Available from http://www.savacommission.org/basic\_docs

Available from: http://europa.eu/press\_room/pdf/complet\_en\_barroso\_\_\_007\_-

*A Handbook for Integrated Water Resources Management in Basins*, Global Water Partnership & International Network of Basin Organizations, ISBN: 978-91-85321-

adopted by the Ministers of Environment on 16 February 2010, Available from:

*Development of Inland Navigation and Environmental Protection in the Danube River* 

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/inland/promotion/promotion\_en.htm

http://ec.europa.eu/regional\_policy/cooperation/danube/index\_en.htm


Given the existing interest of other regions (i.e. other parts of the South-Eastern Europe, Mediterranean region, Western Europe, Central Asia) in the Sava model of cooperation, the ISRBC approach seems to be an attractive example of good practice. In this context, a fundamental advantage of the *FASRB* is associated with the creation of a platform for transboundary cooperation, which is sufficiently broad to integrate all aspects of water management, and thus provide opportunities for specific interests of all Parties to be satisfied through the cooperation. It should be kept in mind, however, that providing the coordinating body with a twofold legal capacity (e.g. decisions in the field of navigation vs. recommendations in the fields of water protection and hazard management, as in the case of ISRBC) may, in some situations, challenge the efforts to find a right balance in satisfying the interests of all Parties.

Despite of all challenges, the *FASRB* is considered as a solid basis for the integrated water resources management in the Sava river basin. Although rather demanding in terms of the need for resources and continuous, joint efforts of the Parties, the *FASRB* implementation is perceived as a process providing multiple benefits, and making a steady progress toward the key objective – sustainable development of the region within the basin.

