Content of presentation

1. Availability of water management data and information in the context of the European principles and directives

2. Content of presentation • Aarhus Convention • European water directives • International cooperation • Official and inofficial information transfer

3. AarhusConvention • UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) • Adopted on 25th June 1998 in the Danish city of Aarhus • Entry into force: 30 October 2001 • Ratification by the European Union: 18 May 2005 Council Decision 2005/370/EC Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters

4. AarhusConvention • Three broad themes or “pillars” • access to information • public participation • access to justice • Objective • In order to contribute to the protection of the right of every person of present and future generations to live in an environment adequate to his or her health and well-being, each Party shall guarantee the rights of access to information, public participation in decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters in accordance with the provisions of this Convention.

5. AarhusConvention • The Convention • Links environmental rights and human rights • Acknowledges that we owe an obligation to future generations • Establishes that sustainable development can be achieved only through the involvement of all stakeholders • Links government accountability and environmental protection • Focuses on interactions between the public and public authorities in a democratic context

6. Water Framework Directive Entered into force:22 December 2000 Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the Community action in the field of water policy Flood Risk Directive Entered into force:26 November 2007 Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the assessment and management of flood risks European water directives

7. vizeink.hu • Official webpage of the Hungarian river basin management planning • All information about the 1st River Basin Management Plan of Hungary • Available for the public • Allows direct communication • Aarhus Convention access to information & public participation

8. International cooperation for solving cross-border problems • Hungary is located in the middle of the Danube catchment area  Many problems can only be solved with the cooperation of the countries located on the catchment area • Commonly elaborated River basin management plan for the Danube catchment area • Bilateral cooperation (coordination: Bilateral committees on transboundary waters)

9. Information flow between neighbouring countries • Official • Inofficial

10. Official information transfer • Regulated, formal transmission of information • Eg.: Kosice  Bratislava  Budapest  Miskolc • Could cause serious delay in the information flow and the necessary intervention • Water Framework Directive & Flood Risk Directive • Importance of communication increased • The Directives defined planning tasks  need for constant coordination between the countries • Important part of planning: cognition of basic design data Inofficial information flow is also necessary

11. Inofficial information transfer • Unregulated, informal, professional information transfer, based on personal relationships • Parallel to official information flow • Especially inportant in case of extraordinary incidents and emergency • Becomes more and more important • Crossborder projects play an important role • Principle: nothing is secret amongst the countries what is public within the countries

12. Thank you for your attention!