European Commission monitors WWF complaint over Danube Bala branch project

The European Commission has confirmed that the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Central and Eastern Europe filed an official complaint in June 2024 regarding a planned hydrotechnical project on the Bala branch of the Danube. The Commission stated that the complaint procedure remains open until sufficient progress is made in addressing concerns regarding the project's compliance with EU environmental legislation and its underlying justification.

The project, funded by the 2021-2027 Transport Program and the Romanian state budget, aims to restore and renature the Bala branch bifurcation area. The goal is to redistribute water flow between the Danube and the Bala branch to improve navigation and support sturgeon migration. Proposed works could increase water levels at the bifurcation by up to 1.2 meters.

Following an analysis of the complaint, the European Commission facilitated a direct dialogue between the Transport Program Management Authority and WWF CEE. Brussels is monitoring this dialogue and remains open to technical solutions that respect both national and European laws, are based on solid analysis, and result from genuine stakeholder consultations.