Event details

The next « EUROPE-INBO 2010 » international conference, organized by the « Group of European Basin Organizations for the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive », will take place, at the invitation of the French Water Agencies:

On 22, 23 and 24 September 2010 in MEGEVE – France

Megève is one of the most prestigious international and French ski and mountaineering resorts, located at the foot of Mont Blanc, in the Rhone - Mediterranean basin.

The meeting will be organized around main and current topics on the implementation of the Framework Directive (WFD) in the National and Transboundary River Basin Districts, in particular:

§ Progress made in the preparation of the WFD Management Plans: their contents, follow-up methods (indicators, management charts…),

§ The Programs of Measures 2010 - 2015, implementation, stakeholders’ mobilization, local contracts, financing of actions,

§ Combined implementation of the WFD and « groundwater », « floods » and « marine strategy » Directives,

§ Strategies for adaptation to the drought risks in Europe: national strategies, monitoring, warning systems,

§ Measures to be planned for adapting Water Bodies to the effects of climate change, resources management, development of upper basins, upstream–downstream common cause, optimization of the water demands, agricultural policy, hydropower, navigation on waterways, reservoirs, transfers, etc.

§ Cooperation with the neighboring Countries, non-members of the European Union, for the application of the WFD principles and methods.

As the conference is taking place in the Alps, special attention will be paid to the characteristics of hydrological and ecological regions and water bodies in European mountains, basin heads, and to the specific measures, that should be considered for adapting to the effects of climate change on the hydrology of the big European Rivers, having their headwaters in mountains.

***There will be simultaneous translation into English and French***

Registration to the « EUROPE-INBO 2010 » conference is free of charge.

Participants are also invited to present a paper on your experiments: the title and summary should reach us before 30th July.These 6 workshops for work and exchange will take place on Wednesday 22 afternoon and on Thursday 23 all day.

Our work will be in line with the recommendations and decisions made by the Committee of the European Union’s Water Directors and by the Strategic Coordination Group led by the Commission to whom we will report as done every year.The implementation of the Water Framework Directive is now in an active and operational phase, which directly involves the Basin Organizations or the « District Authorities » that are facing operational problems in its field implementation. The aim of INBO is to enable them to regularly and informally meet in order to exchange their practical experiences.

The meeting is open to all INBO member organizations and observers, and also to the water administrations and organizations, interested in the implementation of the Framework Directive, of the member and candidate countries of the European Union and of all the other countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia and of the Mediterranean basin, in particular.

The «EUROPE-INBO 2010» meeting itself will be organized simultaneously with the 3rd International Congress on « New water governance in mountains is needed to face climate change! », which will also take place in Megève at the same dates.

A meeting of INBO World Liaison Bureau will be held during these conferences.

This «EUROPE-INBO 2010» conference will be the first step to prepare the active participation of our network in the 6th World Water Forum, which will take place in Marseilles - France in March 2012 and, of course, in its regional European process.

We would advise you to arrive on Tuesday 21 September 2010, either at the Sallanches railway station (France) or at the Geneva-Cointrin International Airport (Switzerland), from which shuttles will be organized to drive you to Megève. If your agenda allows it, you could leave Megève on Saturday 25 September. More information can be found on our website at: http://www.inbo-news.org/spip.php?article1709

A group discount price was negotiated by the Tourist Office of Megève in a selection of hotels of the resort (see attached file).

Our French hosts will take charge of the shuttles from the railway station or the airport and local travels in the Megève region, together with lunches and dinners, from Tuesday 21 September evening to Friday 24 September evening included.

We are pleased to welcome you in Megève!