1. The European Union Strategy for the Danube Region
Progress
SCG meeting,
WFD Team
DG Environment, European Commission

2. Milestones 2008/2009 : request to prepare strategy
2009/2010 : consultations and preparation of the Strategy by the European Commission
8 December 2010: adoption of Action Plan and Communication for the EUSDR
3 February 2011: Prioritiy Area Coordinators announced
12/13 April 2011 (planned): Adoption of Council Conclusions by the EU Council for General Affairs
24 June 2011 (planned): Official endorsement of the EUSDR by the European Council and launching of implementation phase

3. Content Four Pillars: Connecting the Danube Region
Protecting the environment
Building prosperity
Strengthening the Danube Region

4. Four Pillars and Priority Areas:
Content
Four Pillars and Priority Areas:
Connecting the Danube Region
Improve mobility: inland waterways and rail/road/air links
Encourage more sustainable energy
Promote culture and tourism
Protecting the environment
Restore and maintain the quality of waters
Manage environmental risks
Preserve biodiversity, landscapes, and air/soil quality
Building prosperity
Knowledge society/competitiveness
Strengthening the Danube Region
Building capacity/security/tackle crime

5. Targets / actions as examples
Content
Targets / actions as examples
Achieve targets set out in Danube RBMP
Secure viable populations of Danube sturgeon species by 2020
Implement Danube wide Flood RMP
Remove existing navigability bottlenecks on the river
Extend the use of biomass and hydropower
Exchange experiences on modernising small hydropower plants
Develop an action plan for the sustainable development of hydropower, including pre-planning mechanisms and modernising small hydropower plants

6. Priority Area Coordinators
Priority Area Countries
To restore and maintain the quality of waters Hungary
Slovakia
To manage environmental risks Hungary Romania
To preserve biodiversity Germany (Bavaria) Croatia
Inland waterways Austria
Romania
Sustainable energy Hungary
Czech Republic
In addition, a High Level Group will be established to support EC in policy coordination.

7. Implementation No new funding, legislation, structures
Priority Coordinators will kick off soon
Ensuring cross-sectoral and transnational implementation will not be an easy task

8. More information