Ukraine is the largest country among the Eastern Partnership countries. Its territory (603,000 km²) is divided into 9 river basin districts: the Dnipro river basin, the Dnister river basin, the Danube river basin, the Southern Buh (Bug) river basin, the Don river basin, the Vistula river basin, the Crimea rivers basin, the basins of the Black Sea rivers and the Sea of Azov rivers.

Map: River Basin Districts in Ukraine

In 2014, Ukraine signed the Ukraine-European Union Association Agreement. According to this Agreement Ukraine has to make approximation of the Ukrainian “water” legislation to six EU Directives:

1. Directive 2000/60/ЕС establishing a framework for the Community action of water policy (Water Framework Directive)
2. Directive 2008/56/ЕС establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive)
3. Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (Nitrates Directive)
4. Directive 98/83/ЕС on the quality of water intended for human consumption (Drinking Water Directive)
5. Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste-water treatment (Urban Waste Water Directive)
6. Directive 2007/60/ЕС on the assessment and management of flood risks (The Floods Directive)

Legislation of Ukraine related to River basin management planning is described below:

• Water Code; (http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/213/95-%D0%B2%D1%80 )
• Law of Ukraine on amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine regarding implementation of integrated approaches in water resources management based on the basin principle dated 04.10.2016 № 1641-VIII (http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1641-19 )

Resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine:

• On Approving the Procedure for the Development of River Basin Management Plans; (http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/336-2017-%D0%BF )
• On Approval of the Procedure of State Monitoring of Water Resources; (http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/815-96-%D0%BF )

Orders of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine:

• On Identification of Sub-Basins and Water Management Units within the Established River Basin Districts; (http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0208-17 )
• On Delineation of River Basin Districts, Sub-Basins and Water Management Units; (http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0421-17 )
• On Approving the Procedure for the Development of Water Balances; (http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0232-17?lang=ru )
• On Approving the List of Priority Substances; (http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0235-17 )
• On Approving the Model Regulation on River Basin Councils (http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0231-17 )
• On Approving the List of Pollutants for the identification of the Chemical Condition of Surface and Groundwater Bodies (http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/ru/z0235-17 )
• Draft Order On the approval of the methodology of identification of surface and groundwater bodies; (https://davr.gov.ua/proekt-nakazu-minprirodi-pro-zatverdzhennya-metodiki-viznachennya-masiviv-poverhnevih-ta-pidzemnih-vod )
• Draft Methodology of Ecological and Chemical Status Classification;
• Draft Methodology of Analysis of Pressures and Impacts

One of the main tasks of the EUWI+ is to support Ukraine in development of the Dnipro River Basin Management Plan. Within the framework of the EUWI+ project (by August 2020), the first five components of RBMP will be developed for Dnipro River Basin District:

1. General description of the characteristics of the river basin district.
2. Summary of significant pressures and impact of human activity on the status of surface water and groundwater
3. Identification and mapping of protected areas;
4. Mapping of monitoring networks and presentation of results
5. Environmental objectives for surface waters, groundwater and protected areas.