Many East European and Central Asian post-socialist transition countries have embarked on the design and implementation of structures and processes for an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). International partners such as international organisations (World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development etc.), NGOs and consultants are supporting this process. However, case studies from this region show that water sector reforms and the introduction of IWRM often suffer from implementation deficits. While the implementation of the IWRM concept remains challenging in many parts of the world, it appears that post-socialist transition countries face a number of particular challenges:

1. Structural deficits in the political system often limit the scope for the implementation of water sector reforms (incomplete decentralisation processes, political structures that do not allow for long-term oriented reform processes).
2. Informal structures tend to prevail and to prevent new formal rules from becoming effective.
3. Mental models (e.g. concerning the role of the state and its citizen) tend to be not conducive towards environmental protection or water pricing reforms.

While a number of case studies have been prepared on the implementation of IWRM and water sector reforms in post-socialist countries, so far there have been limited attempts to synthesise findings and to explore to which extent results can be generalized beyond single case studies.

The main aim of the workshop was to gather the research results from the different case studies and outline factors that are prominent in all case studies and to derive conclusions that are valid for the whole region and that can be taken as a starting point for future research endeavours and that may inform water sector reform processes. Key questions in this regard were:

1. What conclusions can be drawn from the individual case studies? To what extent are findings generalizable beyond single case studies?
2. For whom are these results relevant (e.g. scientists, practitioners, public authorities, political decision makers) and how can the results be presented and communicated to respective target groups (paper for scientists, handbook for practitioners etc.)?

The workshop was open for all who liked a case study on the implementation of IWRM in one of the East European and Central Asian post-socialist transition countries.