Since 2011, Austria and Romania have been working together as the coordinators for Priority Area 1a (inland waterways) as part of the Strategy of the European Union for the Danube Region. At the heart of this strategy is an action plan whose objectives include the improvement of the Danube's waterway infrastructure and its navigable tributaries, along with integrated and coordinated international waterway management.
In 2012, the Transport Ministers of the Danube countries signed a "Declaration on effective waterway infrastructure maintenance on the Danube and its navigable tributaries" in Luxemburg, thereby committing the Danube riparian states to carry out regular maintenance work to the fairway.
Based on the results of the EU-funded project NEWADA duo (minimum level of service, needs assessment), a "Fairway Rehabilitation and Maintenance Master Plan for the Danube and its navigable tributaries" was developed under the auspices of viadonau to support the operational implementation of the Luxemburg Declaration of 2012. The Master Plan was adopted by the Transport Ministers responsible for the Danube countries in December 2014 and contains concrete national measures to improve waterway maintenance in the management areas of monitoring, planning, implementation and provision of information. The objective is to achieve a common level of service for various maintenance activities and the collective coordinated management of the waterway along the entire Danube. These measures are to be implemented by means of specific "roadmaps" that are currently being developed by the Danube states.
Further information:
Official website of Priority Area 1a - inland waterways of the Danube Strategy
