EURO INBO 2025

The 22nd Euro-INBO International Conference was held in Parma (Italy) in a face-to-face format from Monday 19th May to Friday 23rd May 2025.

This EURO-INBO International Conference 2025 was held at the invitation of our hosts, the Po River District Basin Authority and the Municipality of Parma, and in partnership with French Biodiversity Agency.

Representatives of EU Member States, national, regional and local water directorates and administrations, hydrographic district authorities and basin organizations and more broadly stakeholders involved in basin management will exchange experiences about the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), its “Daughter Directives” and other related policies, directives and regulations.

The conference was open to delegates from EU candidate countries, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia, and neighboring countries interested in EU policies, tools and methodologies for integrated water resources management (IWRM) planning at basin level.

Simultaneous interpretation was available (English-Italian-French)

Programme EURO-INBO

Italian River Basin Authorities and INBO meet to exchange Best Practices in different countries for planning and applying EU directives 

• INTRODUCTION
  Alessandro Bratti, Secretary General, Po River District Basin Authority
  Guido Bernardi, President CAE SpA
  PRESENTATIONS
  Eric Tardieu, Secretary General, International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO): The European situation
  Angiolo Martinelli, Dir. Division V Sustainable Use of Water Resources and Development of Global Initiatives on Water, Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE): Evaluation by the EU Commission of Italian District Water and Flood Plans (PGA e PGRA)
  Silvano Pecora Dir. Divisione IV basin governance and coordination of district authorities, Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE): SIM project for monitoring
  
  ROUND TABLE
  Moderator: Andrea Gavazzoli -Journalist, Head of Institutional Relations, Po River District Basin Authority
  INBO
  MENBO
  Po River District Basin Authority
  Central Apennines Basin Authority
  Southern Apennines Basin Authority
  Northern Apennines Basin Authority
  Eastern Alps Basin Authority
  Regional Agency of the Hydrographic District of Sardinia
  
  PROJECT PRESENTATION
  LIFE CLIMAX PO (CLIMate Adaptation for the PO river basin district)
  

Workshops and side events

GOVAQUA: Transition pathways to sustainable and equitable water governance in Europe

Water4All: Bridging research gaps to improve basin management

Workshop on Water resilience & ecosystems

Presentations :

Joachim D’Eugenio, Policy Advisor for Zero Pollution, Water Resilience and Green Urban Transition, DG Environment, European Commission

Cyrille Barnérias, International and European Relations Director

Reeda Iisma, Ministry of Climate, Estonia

Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, Italy

Dr. Gaia Vaglio Laurin Researcher, National Research Council, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (CNR-IRET)

Ludovica Ramella – ADBPO

Clara Estrela Segrelles, Jucar River Basin Authority (Spain)

 Welcome speeches

• Mr. Michele Guerra, Mayor of Parma
• Mr. Massimo Fabi, Councillor, Emilia Romagna Region Italy (TBC)
• Mr. Gianluca Zanichelli, Po River Interregional Agency (AIPo), Italy
• Mr. Fabrizio Storti, Deputy Pro-Rector, University of Parma
• Mr. Antonio Tajani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Italy 
• Ms. Marie-Laure Métayer, Executive Vice-Presidency of INBO, Deputy Director of Water and Biodiversity, Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion (MTECT), France

Water resources management at national & basin levels in Italy

• National Level: Mr. Angiolo Martinelli, Director of Division V. Sustainable use of Water resources and Development of global water initiatives, Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE), Italy
• Basin Level: Mr. Alessandro Bratti, Secretary General, Po River Basin District Authority, Italy
• Scientific Level: Mr. Giulio Boccaletti, Director Scientific, Euro-Mediterranean Center for Climate Change Foundation, Italy 

Thematic sessions

Co-rapporteurs:

• Mr. Simon Barreau, Project manager for water, agriculture, and information systems in France and internationally, International Office for Water (OiEau)
• Mr. Lorenzo Spedo, Technical agronomist officer, Po River Basin District Authority (ADBPO), Italy

Introduction:

• Mr. Joachim d’Eugenio, Policy Adviser for Zero Pollution, Water Resilience & Green Urban Transition, European Commission

Moderation:

• Mr. Ramiro Martinez, Coordinator of the Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO)

Keynote speaker :

• Mr. Ernst Überreiter, Directorate General I – Water Management, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, Austria

Panelists :

1. Mr. Francesco Tornatore, Director of the Water Crisis Observatory, Po River Basin District Authority (ABBPO), Italy
2. Ms. Raquel Alcalá Borao, Head of Service, Hydrographic Confederation of the Segura river basin, Spain
3. Ms. Michela Marinelli, Environmental engineer, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
4. Ms. Michéla Adin, Director general, Water office Martinique, France
5. Perspective from non-European Union countries testing and adapting tools and methodologies of the WFD for basin management:
   Ms. WANG Han, Engineer, River Basin Planning & Policy Research Center, Songliao River Water Resources Commission, Ministry of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China
   &
   Mr. LIU Bo, Director, International Cooperation Division, International Economic & Technical Cooperation and Exchange Center, Ministry of Water Resources of China

Conclusion :

• Mr. Nihat Zal, Project Manager, European Environment Agency (EEA)

Co-rapporteurs:

• Ms. Chloé Déchelette, European Project Manager, International Office for Water (OiEau)
• Ms. Marta Martinengo, Po River Basin District Authority (ADBPO), Italy

Introduction & moderation :

• Mr. Pascal Berteaud, Director General of the Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Planning (CEREMA), France, President of the International Office for Water (OiEau)

Keynote speaker :

• Mr. Miguel Polo Cebellán, President of the Júcar Hydrographic Confederation (CHJ)

Panelists:

1. Mr. Andrea Colombo, Manager Technical Area, Po River District Basin Authority, Italy
2. Ms. Audrey Bardot, President, Rhine-Meuse Basin Committee, France
3. Mr. Erik Meis, Senior Policy Officer Transboundary Rivers, Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management, The Netherlands 
4. Mr. Lábdy Jenő, Head of Department, General Directorate of Water Management, Hungary
5. Perspective from transboundary basins: 

Mr. Dragan Zeljko, Executive Secretary, International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC: Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia) 

6. Perspective from non-European Union countries testing and adapting tools and methodologies of the WFD for basin management:
   Ms. Laura Sustersic, Project Director of “Support to Ganga Rejuvenation”, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)

Conclusion :

• Ms. Jana Tejkalová, Head of Unit of International Cooperation, Planning and Flood Protection, Ministry of the Environment, Czech Republic

Co-rapporteurs:

• Mr. Eric Mino, Manager and coordinator for Europe, Mediterranean and Central Asia, International Office for Water (OiEau)
• Ms. Federica Bonaiuti, Po River Basin District Authority (ADBPO), Italy

Introduction & moderation:

• Mr. Stefano Mariani, Head of the Weather and Hydrological Analysis and Forecasting and Water Resources Section, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)

Keynote speaker :

• Ms. Elodie Galko, Director General, Adour-Garonne Water Agency (AEAG), France

Panelists (50 minutes):

1. Ms. Marina Colaizzi, Secretary General, District Basin Authority of the Eastern Alps, Italy
2. Mr. Manuel Sapiano, Water Director, Water and Energy Agency, Malta
3. Mr. Christian Lecussan, President of FENARIVE (industry federation), Vice-Chairman of the Seine-Normandy Basin Committee, France
4. Mr. Mariusz Adynkiewicz-Piragas, Head of Regional Research Department, Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, Poland
5. Ms. Maria Babukchieva, State expert river basin management, Ministry of Environment and Water, Bulgaria
6. Mr. Ramiro Martinez, Coordinator of the Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO)

Conclusion:

• Mr. Nicola Dell’Acqua, National special commissioner for the adoption of urgent measures relating to the phenomenon of water scarcity,
  Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Italy

Co-rapporteurs:

• Mr. François-Xavier Imbert, project manager, International Office for Water (OiEau)
• Ms. Irene Ingrando, Po River Basin District Authority (ADBPO), Italy

Introduction, moderation :

• Ms. Julie Magnier, Project manager,  International Office for Water (OiEau)

Keynote speaker

• Mr. Bernard De Potter, General Administrator, Flemish Environment Agency (VMM), Belgium

Panelists:

1. Ms. Fernanda Moroni, Director, Po River District Basin Authority, Italy 
2. Mr. Benjamin Lopez, Water4All Partnership CEO & Scientific Officer, Environment, Ecosystems, Biological Resources Department, French National Research Agency (ANR)
3. Mr. Filippo Brandolini, President, Utilitalia (Federation of Water, Environment and Energy Companies), Italy
4. Perspective from transboundary basins:

Ms. Nicole Gallina, Secretary General, International Commission for the Protection of Lake Geneva (CIPEL)

5. Perspective from non-European Union countries testing and adapting tools and methodologies of the WFD for basin management:

Mr. Igor Gopchak, Head, State Agency of Water Resources of Ukraine (SAWRU)

Conclusion:

• Ms. Laïla Misane, Secretary General, Sebou River Basin Agency (ABHS), Kingdom of Morocco

Co-rapporteurs:

• Ms. Julie Magnier, Project manager,  International Office for Water (OiEau)
• Ms. Paola Gallani, Po River Basin District Authority (ADBPO), Italy

Introduction:

• Mr Bart Fokkens, Associate Expert, European Center for River Restoration (ECRR)

Moderation:

• Mr. Andrea Gavazzoli, Journalist, Institutional Relations, Po River Basin District Authority, Italy

Keynote speaker :

• Ms. Martina Bussettini, Head of unit, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)

Panelists :

1. Mr. Emilio Real Llanderal, Head of Section of the Environmental Management Area, Júcar Hydrographic Confederation, Spain
2. Mr. Antti Parjanne, Chief Specialist, Water Resources Management, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Finland
3. Ms. Mirella Vergnani, Manager of Ecological Transition and Soft Mobility Department, Interregional Agency for the Po River (AIPO)
4. Mr. Cyrille Barnerias, Director of European and International Relations, French Biodiversity Agency (OFB)
5. Perspective from transboundary basins:

Ms. Laura Poinsot, Scientific advisor, International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR) 

6. Perspective from non-European Union countries testing and adapting tools and methodologies of the WFD for basin management:
   Mr. Rajeev Ranjan Mishra, Former Secretary General, National Mission for a Clean Ganga, Ministry of  Water Resources (Ministry of Jal Shakti), Government of India

Conclusion:

• Mr. Lionel Launois, Head of Europe & International at the Directorate for Water and Biodiversity, Ministry for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forestry, the Sea and Fisheries, France

Cultural and technical visits

• Boat Trip
• Town trip
• Farnese theater and National Gallery trip