Although the Almaty Guidelines are not specifically targeted at joint bodies for transboundary water cooperation, they represent a comprehensive and up-to-date guidance on forms and mechanisms for public participation that can be applied by joint bodies. For example, an Ad Hoc Public Participation Expert Group acts in the framework of ICPDR. In the period 1999-2004, the Joint Russian-Estonian Commission on the Protection and Rational Use of Transboundary Waters had a working group on cooperation with NGOs, local authorities and international organizations. However, the Commission reformed its working groups, and the functions of this working group were transferred to the new working group on IWRM.