16th Meeting on the Follow-up of the Joint Statement launched JS 2.0, a milestone marking a significant step forward in harmonizing navigation and environmental protection in the Danube River Basin.

The 16^th Meeting on the Follow-up of the ‘Joint Statement on Guiding Principles on the Development of Inland Navigation and Environmental Protection of the Danube River Basin’ (Joint Statement) took place in Budapest, organised by the Danube Commission, in a hybrid format, on October 22, 2025. The event marked the official handover of the Joint Statement 2.0 by the three sister River Commissions — the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), the International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC), and the Danube Commission to Ms. Margarida Marques, European Coordinator for the Rhine-Danube Core Network Corridor.

The centrepiece of the event was the presentation and launch of Joint Statement 2.0, a milestone in aligning navigation and environmental protection in the Danube River Basin. The document was officially adopted by the Danube Commission during its 103^rd session on June 12, 2025, with similar procedures followed by the ISRBC and ICPDR.

Additionally, a draft Joint Statement 2.0 Manual and a proposal for an online Knowledge Management System (KMS) were introduced. Both documents are expected to be finalised by the end of November 2025.

The meeting was attended by over 50 participants, including experts from the Danube Commission Member States, representatives from the ICPDR, ISRBC, the European Commission (EC/DG MOVE, EC/DG ENV, and EC/DG REGIO), the Technical Secretariat of EUSDR PA1a, and numerous stakeholders from the transport, environmental, and water sectors.

Ms. Margarida Marques, the newly appointed coordinator of the TEN-T/Rhine-Danube Corridor, delivered opening remarks: “The Danube is a corridor of stability in a geopolitically fragile region, and an essential channel for solidarity and reconstruction”. “The Danube is an asset for European stability and strength” she concluded in closing her welcome statement.

The official handover of the JS 2.0 document from the three commissions to Ms. Marques took place during the meeting. Ms. Marques thanked warmly for the honour and congratulated the three commissions for the good work. “What we need now is political will, political commitment and continued implementation”, she said.

The event continued with a dedicated panel discussion on the impacts of the Joint Statement 2.0 on the work of waterway administrations. Participants shared practical insights and ideas for future activities in light of the Joint Statement 2.0.

The panel was followed by two segments where experts from Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Serbia followed by updates on the progress of implementation of important cross-border and national projects, including projects of basin-wide importance, presented the current status.

This meeting is a testament to a shared vision, commitment, and the power of collaboration. It was an excellent opportunity to reflect on achievements and chart the path forward for the Danube River Basin, which is an asset for European stability and strength.

The 17^th Joint Statement Meeting is scheduled for September 29-30, 2026, and will be hosted by the ISRBC, in Zagreb, Croatia.

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