On May 13, 2025, a press conference in Parma officially launched Euro-INBO 2025, which will take place from May 19 to 23, positioning the city as the International Capital of Water.
Organized by INBO with the Po River Basin Authority (ADBPO), on the invitation of the City of Parma and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE), in partnership with the French Biodiversity Office (OFB) and UNESCO, this high-level event will bring together representatives from Member States of the European Union, national, regional and local water authorities and administrations, hydrographic authorities, basin organisations and all stakeholders involved in the management of water resources.
Under the theme “The value of integrating water, energy, food and ecosystems“, this conference is a unique opportunity for participants to exchange experiences on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and its associated directives, while exploring links with other regulations and environmental policies.
Parma International Water Capital 2025 means continuing to work on what is a decisive issue for the sustainability of our territories, which is the issue of water, especially having the Basin Authority based here, in our city. We have done many things together in recent years, the Parma 2030 project sees a very significant commitment also on the issue of water; but now being able to have such a prestigious international conference here, which brings together the Basin Authority and Inbo from 19 to 23 May here in Parma, means taking a further leap, it means bringing many important voices from all over the world to talk about these issues, it means continuing along that path closer to the political and administrative actions that we are putting in place. It also means greater awareness on the part of citizens, because sustainability issues are issues that can be changed, that can only be improved if every citizen does his or her part. So these occasions where good practices are exchanged, where the best knowledge is exchanged in the field, in this case, of water issues are, for the city, extremely important.
Michele GUERRA, Mayor of Parma
As the Po River Basin District Authority we are deeply proud to host this Assembly of international scope and depth. The presence of Euro-INBO in Parma, the city where the ADBPO is based, a direct emanation of the Ministry of the Environment – which we thank, together with the local administration, the French Republic, the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB), UNESCO and all the sponsoring bodies – testifies to the interest in the work that managers and officials carry out on a daily basis in the Po River Basin, dealing with commitment and self-sacrifice on all the issues of preponderant importance (from the protection of biodiversity to territorial safety, from water resource management to actions to mitigate the effects of climate change) that must continue to be, today more than ever, at the centre of global debate and the political actions of governments in every part of the planet.
Alessandro Bratti, Secretary General of ADBPO
I would like to thank the Po River Basin Authority and the City of Parma represented by the Secretary General Alessandro Bratti and Mayor Michele Guerra respectively; as well as the Italian Government and all the regions involved. It is important for us to place this conference within the broader momentum and debate in water management in Italy and worldwide: a technical and political commitment. Euro-INBO will provide an opportunity to strengthen the ties between INBO and the Italian water authorities and institutions involved in water resource management throughout the country. INBO brings together all water users around a shared goal: allocating water resources, planning and preserving water in terms of quantity and quality, enabling the development of long-term action plans. At the European level, EU states share a common legal framework, notably through the Water Framework Directive: this will be a central focus of discussion in view of the 2027 deadline.
Eric Tardieu, Secretary General of INBO