GRUPPO 183 is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) created in 1995 by a group of Italian experts, environmentalists, congressmen, members of national and local authorities, trade unions, and leading business men to ensure implementation of existing environmental legislation and in particular of Law 183/89 on the protection of soil and water resources. It is now monitoring and supporting the correct implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60 in Italy. The association makes part of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification network of the organizations that are currently working on desertification-related issues. Since 2005 Gruppo183 make part of the Aquanet Foundation, an European NGO focused on the implementation of EU water policy and public participation.

In the last years (2003-2006), Gruppo 183 has carried out a number of activities related to river planning and implementation of EU water legislation in Italy. In particular: (click on the items for further information)

• The first congress on public participation and Water Framework Directive in Italy (2005)
• The first report on river basin planning in Italy (2003)
• The first national congress on the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in Italy 2000/60/EC (2003)
• Two workshops on the implementation at regional level of the Italian and EU laws on sustaiable water management (2002 and 2005)