The European Commission’s Communication establishing the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (Document COM(2010) 715, 8 Dec. 2010) features three exemplary targets for EUSDR Pillar 1 (Connecting the Danube Region) which are of relevance for EUSDR Priority Area 1a (To improve mobility and multimodality: Inland waterways).

 

The Priority Area Coordinators of EUSDR Priority Area 1a amended and expanded these three exemplary targets to five targets for which the wording was adopted by all members of the Steering Group (including the European Commission). The final targets for EUSDR Priority Area 1a are as follows:

 

	Action 1: Contribute to improve waterway and port infrastructure & management [target: Achieve a notable improvement of the fairway conditions and shore side infrastructure along the Danube and its navigable tributaries, confirmed by the waterway users by means of an annual user survey]
	Action 2: Foster business development [target: Contribute to transnational business-to-business (B2B) meetings on an annual basis]
	Action 3: Facilitate fleet modernisation [target: Promote the use of EU funds for fleet modernisation and support the set-up of national funding schemes]
	Action 4: Support the further roll-out and enhancement of River Information Services [target: Ensure the online provision, availability and interoperability of up-to-date Fairway Information Services in the Danube Region]
	Action 5: Contribute to the enhanced quality of education and jobs [target: Facilitate the implementation of the provisions of Directive 2017/2397 in all Danube riparian states, putting specific emphasis on non-EU riparian states]
	Action 6: Contribute to the simplification, harmonisation and digitalisation of administrative processes [target: Achieve a notable improvement of administrative procedures, especially border controls, in inland navigation on the Danube and its navigable tributaries by 2023, as confirmed by the waterway users by means of user surveys]

 

In order to achieve these targets, the governance structure for Priority Area 1a of the EUSDR has been established as follows by the Priority Area Coordinators in close cooperation with the European Commission and the National Contact Points of PA 1a: