2002 marked the launch of the “Integrated River Engineering Project on the Danube to the East of Vienna”. In the course of the approximately four-year planning process, the project team devised improvement measures for the Danube section east of Vienna which provide a solution to the issue of river bed stabilisation and meet the nautical and ecological requirements relevant to this area. Since the Integrated River Engineering Project involves both improvements to navigation on the Danube and ecological improvements, the project constitutes a genuine win-win situation.

In March 2006, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Integrated River Engineering Project was filed with the competent authorities in Vienna and Lower Austria including an outline of all measures planned under the project. Pursuant to the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, the description of the Integrated River Engineering Project on the Danube to the East of Vienna comprises technical and spatial aspects. Evidence is provided that the project does not have any significant adverse effects on the environment. In the context of the EIA procedure, this evidence will be examined by independent experts.

Further information on the project history and the structure of the planning process is provided under the heading Planning approach.