Eric Donnay 1983 Graduated as deck officer and started a nautical carrier on board Belgian merchant vessels. Since 1991, he holds a Master degree in nautical sciences (applied sciences, industrial engineer) from the Nautical College of Antwerp. In 1991 he becomes scientific assistant at the Management Unit of the Mathematical Models of the North Sea and Scheldt Estuary (MUMM). While at MUMM he had responsibility for several European funded projects dealing with surveillance of and the fight against accidental and illegal marine pollution caused by ships (SAMPLEX, POLSCALE) and the development and execution of the Belgian program of aerial surveillance of ship-sourced marine pollution.
In 2006, he joined a new position in the Federal administration (Federal public service Health, Food Chain Safety & Environment, Directorate-general Environment) as an expert to the creation of a new service specialized in the protection of the marine environment. Most recently he has been the head of the operational branch responsible for the surveillance and enforcement of environmental law as well as for the preparedness and response to marine spills in the sea areas under Belgian jurisdiction. He has represented Belgium in several international, European and regional meetings dealing with marine pollution issues (Bonn Agreement, European Maritime Safety Agency, European Commission DG ECHO, etc.). He is now Chair of the Bonn Agreement for the period 2025-2026.