Meeting of the Working Group on legal and financial issues of the Danube Commission (October 14-16, 2025)
On October 14-16, 2025, the Meeting of the Working Group on legal and financial issues (WG JUR-FIN) of the Danube Commission (DC) was held in a hybrid format and chaired by Ms Duška Kunštek, member of the Croatian delegation.
The delegations of all riparian countries (Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine) attended the Meeting.
The participants expressed solidarity with Ukraine, which continues to suffer and encounter damage from the Russian military attacks on the Lower Danube, which destroy port infrastructure, port superstructure, ships and vehicles, injuring and killing people working in ports, in terminals and on ships. These actions are hindering free navigation and violate the very core of the fundamental principle of the Belgrade Convention regarding the regime of navigation on the Danube (1948).[1]
The Danube Commission continues the process of modernization, which will be finalized by updating all posts’ requirements in the new Secretariat structure (in force as of July 1, 2026) and using internal human resources by professional reorientation with due ongoing training, as well as by drafting new Staff Regulations and by implementing the Gender Equality Plan 2025-2029. Another major step in the professionalization of the Danube Commission Secretariat functionaries is the initiation of a new recruitment procedure based on an open competition.
WG JUR-FIN traditionally discussed important legal and financial topics concerning the implementation of the Belgrade Convention and Danube navigation: i) possible measures to prevent the violation of basic provisions of Belgrade Convention, ii) access to the Danube ports; iii) validity of the vessel’s certificates issued by the Danube states which are not members of the European Union; iv) draft annual budget 2025 and other issues; v) DC’s publishing activity.
The delegations took note of the progress reached in cooperation with international partners within the framework of GRANT 3 Agreement, PLATINA4Action project, DiVINE project, Joint Statement 2.0 process, and Memorandum of Understanding with PIANC.
The next WG JUR-FIN meeting is planned for April 2026.
[1] Danube states adopted the decision at its 100th Session on 14 December 2023 (DC/SES 100/11) urging the Russian Federation to draw the consequences of its attacks by withdrawing from the Belgrade Convention until 29 February 2024, or, failing that, as of 1 March 2024, the Danube States will no longer consider themselves bound by the obligations under the Belgrade Convention vis-à-vis the Russian Federation. This decision came into force on the 1st March 2024.