Fifteen years ago, the European Union and the countries of the Danube Region made a joint commitment to cooperate across borders in order to address common challenges and fully realise the Region’s potential. 

“The importance of the Danube Basin for the EU cannot be underestimated. Our policies and the investments we are making in the Basin through the EU’s cohesion policy in particular have an impact on the livelihoods of 20 million citizens. The Danube needs a specific strategy comparable to the strategy we are developing for the Baltic Sea Region. A one-size-fits all approach doesn’t work in an EU of 27 Member States and 271 regions. We need a targeted policy for the Danube that meets its ecological, transport and socio-economic needs,” declared Commissioner Hübner in 2008.

Adopted by the European Commission in 2010 and formally approved and launched in 2011, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) has developed into a long-term cooperation framework that strengthens connectivity, resilience and future-oriented development across the Danube Region.

The geographical scope of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region extends from the Black Forest in Germany to the Black Sea, encompassing Romania, Ukraine and Moldova, and includes a population of approximately 115 million people. Within this area, the EUSDR unites 14 EU Member States and Accession Countries, providing a practical mechanism to address challenges that transcend national borders while supporting economic, social and territorial cohesion.
As the EUSDR reaches its 15th anniversary, its original objectives remain fully relevant: ensuring effective coordination where isolated actions would be insufficient, promoting cooperation and networking among all stakeholders, and developing joint solutions for a diverse Region connected by a single river — delivering prosperity through diversity.