EUSDR

The Danube Commission is a key partner in the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) – the EU macro-regional framework for cooperation among Danube countries. Adopted in 2010, the EUSDR  strengthens cooperative frameworks and supports existing institutions in addressing shared challenges in mobility, security, environmental protection and sustainable development. The EUSDR Action Plan coordinates action across four pillars and twelve Priority Areas.

Within this framework, the Danube Commission carries out numerous joint activities Priority Area 1a (Waterways Mobility) and cooperates successfully with Priority Area 11 (Security), contributing its long-standing expertise in navigation standards, safety and cross-border regulatory coordination.

Joint workshops organised by the Danube Commission and EUSDR include:

4 March 2026 – EUSDR PA1a Workshop / EG HYDRO / Danube Fairway 2 Stakeholders Forum

15 May 2025 – Second Joint Workshop: Roadmap and actions towards zero-emission Danube fleet

8 October 2024 – First Joint Workshop: Roadmap and actions towards zero-emission Danube fleet

2 October 2024: Joint Working Group PA1a/PA11 on administrative processes

An integrated approach

The EUSDR supports the strengthening of the Danube Commission’s role,  and promotes close cooperation with existing river basin organisations, in particular the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) and the International Sava River Bassin Commission This cooperation follows the principle of avoiding overlaps and the creation of parallel structures and is further underpinned by the Joint Statement on the Development of Inland Waterways and Environmental Protection (pdf), jointly adopted by the three Commissions, which sets out shared principles for sustainable inland navigation aligned with river basin management and environmental objectives.