Updated Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (2006): Based on EU Water Framework Directive Analysis Report
As the ‘most international river basin in the world’, the Danube River Basin has been subjected to considerable environmental pollution over many years. Whilst the main problems associated with this pollution were observed in the Black Sea northwest shelf, seen through the frequent anoxic events as resulting from nutrient and organic pollution, the majority of the Danube Basin has also been impacted, by nutrients, organic pollution, hazardous substance pollution and hydromorphological alterations (resulting in the loss of wetlands/floodplains and interrupting fish migration). The Danube River Basin has also been the subject of many investigations and studies funded by a wide range of organisations, with the GEF and the European Commission providing the most sustained inputs. In addition the countries of the Danube River Basin have actively supported and contributed to these investigations. These previous studies have resulted in a number of key assessments and recommendations, in particular a Strategic Action Plan (1994), Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (1999), a Joint Action Plan (2000) and most recently in compliance with the EU Water Framework Directive, a Danube River Basin Analysis (2005). This updated Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (2006) is based on the results of the UNDP/GEF Danube Regional Project and these previous assessments, most significantly, the 2005 Danube Basin Analysis/.