Budapest: Meeting of the Special Expert group for issues on transport of dangerous materials on the inland waterways was held in the Seat of the Danube Commission on May 30-31 2006

Meeting was opened by the General Secretary of the Danube Commission, Mr. Nedjalkov, which stressed the importance of monitoring and adoption of the highest safety measures set in this area and wished fruitful work during the session.

On the beginning of the working part of the Session, the representatives of the member countries informed about status and progress in ratification of the Agreement. Countries that are late in process of the agreement ratification, informed the attendees about problems that they’ve been facing during the realization of this commitment.

Afterwards, pursuant to the agenda, changes and amendments, which were previously passed by the UNECE Geneva, were adopted.

On the end of the meeting it was concluded that the Danube Commission should address to the UNECE and send certain remarks and suggestions, as well as to propose certain corrections in order to take into account the specificities of the countries in the Danube River Basin when regulating these areas.

By this occasion, the representative of the Secretariat of the Sava Commission, which obtained the observer status, informed the attendees that the Sava Commission was very attentively following-up the work of the Special Expert group for issues on transport of dangerous materials on the inland waterways and it would also implement the standards in this area through work of its expert groups.