The annual meeting of the heads of the secretariats of the European river/water commissions and European regional seas conventions took place at the headquarters of the ICPO secretariat in Wrocław from 26 to 28 August 2026.
Representatives from various European river basin commissions, as well as from HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – Helsinki Commission), INBO (International Network of Basin Organizations) and CIPEL (International Commission for the Protection of the Waters of Lake Geneva) exchanged information on their ongoing activities and priorities relating to the implementation of EU directives related to water management. The discussions also focused on the measures that have been taken in various European river basins in response to climate change, drought, water scarcity, transboundary cooperation, water pollution, and the preparation of future updates of international river basin management plans.
The participants also had the opportunity to learn about the history of the oldest part of the city, located in the heart of Wrocław and surrounded by the waters of the Oder River, and to visit HYDROPOLIS – an interactive knowledge centre dedicated to water and its importance in our lives.
The meeting concluded with a discussion on the future role of international river commissions and their capacity to respond to new challenges in water management.
The presentations that introduced the individual meeting topics, as well as a brief photo gallery, are available below.
