History of cooperation

2001 The four riparian countries of the Sava River Basin - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Republic of Croatia and Republic of Slovenia, aiming at cooperation for the sustainable basin wide water resource management, entered into a process known as the Sava River Basin Initiative, and signed the “Letter of Intent” on launching the joint activities regarding the Sava River and its tributaries.
Basic idea of the Sava Initiative contained in the “Letter of Intent” was to establish an appropriate institutional framework for transboundary cooperation which will ensure sustainable use, protection and management of the water resources in the Sava River Basin and thus enable “better life conditions and raising the standard of population in the region”.
2002  Acknowledging the great political, economic and social changes that have taken place in the region, and accepting an idea to cooperate in sustainable development, utilization, protection and management of water resources in the Sava River Basin, the basin countries accepted a challenge and managed to conclude the Framework Agreement on the Sava River Basin (FASRB), the unique international agreement, which integrated all aspects of the water resources management and established the joint International Sava River Basin Commission (Sava Commission) for its implementation.
2003  Interim Sava Commission, a temporary joint body, started to work with the main aim to prepare all steps necessary for the establishment of the permanent Sava Commission upon FASRB enters into force.
2004  FASRB entered into force.
2005  First constitutional session of the Sava Commission.
2006  The permanent Secretariat of the Sava Commission started to work.
2020 The Sava Commission celebrated 15 years of cooperation.
The Sava River Initiative Process
Activity / Event Date
Launch of the Initiative June 2001
Signing the Letter of Intent on Cooperation November 29, 2001
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Signing the FASRB December 3, 2002
Kranjska Gora, Slovenia
Interim Sava Commission started to work March 12, 2003
Brussels, Belgium
Entering into force of the FASRB December 29, 2004
Sava Commission constitutive session June 27-29, 2005
Zagreb, Croatia
Sava Commission Secretariat started to work January 9, 2006 
Zagreb, Croatia