History, Tasks and Goals of the Danube
Commission (DC)
Petar Margic
Danube Commission, Budapest
Budapest, September 17th, 2013
HISTORY OF THE DC

1815: Congress of Vienna, Final
Act  principle of freedom of
navigation
on
international
waterways.

1856: Paris Conference, 18 March
1856: signature of the Treaty of
Paris  Black Sea open and free
to vessels of commerce of all
nations.
Danube: subjected to the rules of the
Final Act of the Congress of Vienna.
Creation of the European Danube
Commission (EDC).
Workshop 2013 - a prosperous future for the Danube navigation
Budapest, September 17th, 2013
HISTORY OF THE DC
EUROPEAN DANUBE COMMISSION
Task:
responsible for the execution of works in order to have no obstacle on
Danube (Article 16 of the Treaty of Paris).
the
7 Member States: signatories of Treaty of Paris: Russia, Austria, France, Great
Britain, Prussia, Sardinia, Turkey, initially founded for two years.
Participants to the
Congress of Paris
(1856)
Workshop 2013 - a prosperous future for the Danube navigation
Budapest, September 17th, 2013
HISTORY OF THE DC
INTERNATIONAL DANUBE COMMISSION
 1921: Paris Conference, established that “the
navigation on the Danube shall be free and open for the
vessels of all flags on a footing of equality along the
whole naviagble part of the river from Ulm to the Black
Sea and fluvial part declared as an international”
Creation of two Commissions:
European Danube Commission (EDC) – resumed
operations on the "maritime Danube” from Braila to the
Black Sea, and
International Danube Commission (IDC) set up for the
"fluvial" river from Ulm to Braila.
 1940: Vienna Conference:
dismissal of IDC.
Workshop 2013 - a prosperous future for the Danube navigation
Budapest, September 17th, 2013
HISTORY OF THE DC
 After World War II, Conference: delegations from
Danubian States, USA, England, France.
 18 August 1948: Belgrade Conference, signature of the
Convention regarding the Regime of Navigation on the
Danube (BC) + establishment of the Danube Commission
(DC).
 BC: founding document, international legal instrument
governing navigation on the Danube.
Entered into force on 11 May 1949.
11 Member States (1948, 1998)
Austria,
Bulgaria,
Croatia,
Germany,
Hungary,
R.Moldova, Slovakia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia.
9 Observers (2001, 2006, 2008, 2012)
France, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Turkey,
Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, Belgium, FYRM.
Workshop 2013 - a prosperous future for the Danube navigation
Budapest, September 17th, 2013
DANUBE RIVER
Length: 2850 km, international navigation 2411 km
Basin area: 817,000 sq km
120 Tributaries
Workshop 2013 - a prosperous future for the Danube navigation
Budapest, September 17th, 2013
TASKS OF THE DC
BELGRADE CONVENTION (1948)
•
to supervise the implementation of the provisions of the Convention
•
to prepare a General Plan of the Major works
Plan for major works on the achievement of recommended fairway parameters,
hydrotechnical and other facilities on the Danube;
Recommendations on minimum requirements for standard fairway parameters,
hydrotechnical and other improvements on the Danube (loaded draught of 2.5 m);
LIST OF NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS (regularly upgraded).
Workshop 2013 - a prosperous future for the Danube navigation
Budapest, September 17th, 2013
TASKS OF THE DC
•
to consult with, and make recommendations to the Danube States in
respect of the execution of the said works
•
to consult, make recommendations and exchange of information with the
Special River Administrations
•
to establish a uniform system of traffic regulations on the whole
navigable stretch of the Danube
• to lay down the basic provisions governing navigation on the Danube
Basic Rules of Navigation on the Danube/DFND
Recommendations on technical requirements for inland waterway vessels, etc.
• to unify the regulations governing river inspection
Rules for River Surveillance, etc.
Workshop 2013 - a prosperous future for the Danube navigation
Budapest, September 17th, 2013
TASKS OF THE DC
•
to unify the regulations governing river inspection
•
to co-ordinate the hydro-meteorological services on the Danube
•
to produce statistics on aspects of navigation on the Danube
•
to publish reference works, sailing directions, navigational charts and
atlases for the purposes of navigation
•
to prepare and approve the budget of the Commission.
Workshop 2013 - a prosperous future for the Danube navigation
Budapest, September 17th, 2013
GOALS OF THE DC

Modernization and unification of the rules and regulations related to the
navigation, environmental protection, technical and economic aspects applied
on the Danube.

Contribution to the improvement of political relations of River countries,
particularly as a political mediator in case of political obstacles to a free
navigation, as well as sustainable prevention of such obstacles.

Systematical collection, critical evaluation and promotion of everything
serving the navigation on the Danube, coordination of national activities of
the river states and incentive support of navigation on the Danube as a whole.
Workshop 2013 - a prosperous future for the Danube navigation
Budapest, September 17th, 2013
Thank you for your attention!
Petar Margic
Director-General
Secretariat of the Danube Commission
petar.margic@danubecom-intern.org
H-1068 Budapest
Benczur utca 25
Workshop 2013 - a prosperous future for the Danube navigation
Budapest, September 17th, 2013