Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine
The Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) is an international organisation which has been ensuring the freedom and safety of navigation on the Rhine since 1815. It has five Member States: Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
The CCNR is composed of the delegations of its Member States, which are responsible for drawing up Rhine regulations, and a standing Secretariat responsible for preparing its work. The CCNR proceeds by unanimously adopting Resolutions which are binding on its Member States; each Member State has one vote.
A number of Observer States (Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom) and a number of approved organisations are also involved in its activities.
Given the central position of the Rhine in the European transport network, the CCNR has developed a special relationship with the European Commission; it also works closely with the UN-ECE and the other river commissions, particularly the Danube Commission, the Moselle Commission and the Sava Commission, the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine, and the International Commission for the Hydrology of the Rhine Basin. This cooperation is reflected in both the mutual recognition of regulations and a number of joint projects.