October 17-19, 2012 | Istanbul
The 10th European Conference on the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive “Europe-INBO 2012” was held on 17-18-19 October 2012 at the Grand Cevahir Hotel and Convention Centre in Istanbul.
Organized by the European Basin Organizations Group for Implementing Water Framework Directive (Europe-INBO) in cooperation with SUEN, the Conference welcomed INBO member organizations and observers, as well as water administrations and organizations interested in the implementation of the WFD and its “Daughter Directives” from EU member and candidate countries and other countries in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia, the Mediterranean Basin and the Arab League. A total of 354 people from 47 countries attended the Conference.
Dealing with the issues such as the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive, the draft of the EU Freshwater Blueprint, the implementation of the EU Floods Directive, strategies to face scarcity and drought, economic analysis of the WFD and cost recovery, the Conference was organized around six roundtables. In addition to these sessions, 4 side event sessions were carried out by the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs and WWF-Turkey. A total of 57 presentations were delivered. All presentations are available online at www.inbo-news.org.
On the last day of the Conference, a technical visit was held for the participants to the Ikitelli Drinking Water Treatment Plant and Ataköy Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is Europe’s largest advanced biological treatment facility.
At the end of the Conference, the Istanbul Europe-INBO 2012 Declaration was adopted. SUEN assisted INBO in the organization of the Conference and its sessions, as well as preparing the content of the Istanbul Europe-INBO 2012 Declaration.
At the closing session of the Conference, SUEN President Prof. Ahmet Mete SAATÇİ took over the presidency from the previous president Antonio GUERREIRO DE BRITO and became the President of Europe-INBO for the term 2012-2013.