ZAGREB, September 17, 2026 — Hosted by the International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC) alongside the Danube Commission (DC) and International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), the 17th Joint Statement Follow-up Meeting brought together representatives of the three river commissions, the European Commission, waterway administrations and other experts to focus on the practical implementation of Joint Statement 2.0.

VIENNA, September 16, 2026 — The General Director of the Secretariat of the Danube Commission, Mr. Manfred Seitz, participated in the 68th Conference of Directors of Danube Navigation Companies – Members of the Bratislava Agreements, hosted by DDSG MAHART Kft.

On 8–9 September, the DC Secretariat hosted a meeting of PIANC’s Inland Waterborne Navigation Commission (InCom) in Budapest for the first time, bringing together experts from Belgium, France, China, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, the USA, Germany and other countries. PIANC – the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure – is a global network of professionals sharing knowledge and developing technical guidance for sustainable waterborne transport infrastructure.

We, the Representatives of the Member States of the Danube Commission,

express our serious concern about the increasingly frequent occurrence of periods of extreme water levels on the Danube River and the growing consequences thereof for navigation, economic connectivity, energy security, aquatic ecosystems and the sustainable development of the Danube region.

The Danube is a vital transboundary artery connecting countries, economies, communities and people. The reliable functioning of the river is of strategic importance not only for the transport sector, but also for energy security, industry, tourism, water resources and the protection of Europe’s natural heritage.

The Danube Commission welcomes the decision of European Commission (2026/1179), to recognize across the EU the inland navigation certificates of qualification issued by Serbia.

The Danube Commission Secretariat was invited aboard the REXDAN, Europe’s newest and most sophisticated freshwater research vessel, which navigates the Danube