For decades, disputes were held over the expansion of the Danube, and now construction on the section between Deggendorf and Vilshofen in the Passau district has passed a significant stage. The European Commission completed the environmental review of this segment. This was reported by the Member of the European Parliament from Lower Bavaria and chairman of the EPP faction Manfred Weber. The European Commission studied the consequences of the project implementation for wild animals and plants.
Public interest outweighed environmental concerns
The Commission proceeds from the fact that the negative consequences of the river expansion are justified by compelling reasons of overriding public interest, indicated in the final document. Back in 2019, the EU issued a corresponding permit for work on the first section from Straubing to Deggendorf, where construction is already underway.
German agencies and above all residents of the Danube coastal areas waited long for the conclusion from Brussels. After all, besides improving conditions for navigation, important flood protection measures must be implemented along the river. In addition, until this moment, municipalities could not draw up plans for the development of territories in potential flood zones.
Plan approval is scheduled for the first half of the year
The body responsible for approving the plan is the General Directorate for Waterways and Shipping (GDWS) of Germany. As the GDWS reported upon a request from BR, it is now necessary to analyze the EU conclusion. The conditions that the European Union sets for construction can only be fulfilled by the Free State of Bavaria. The decision on plan approval is planned to be issued as early as the first half of 2026. Specific environmental requirements that will need to be met on-site, according to the GDWS, will become known only after the adoption of the final decision.
Bavaria reminds the federal government of its duties
In the opinion of the Bavarian Minister of the Environment Thorsten Glauber (Free Voters), the initiative must now come from the federal center. Procedures for the expansion of the Danube and flood protection between Deggendorf and Vilshofen need the fastest possible completion, he stated on Thursday in Munich. Protecting people from flooding on the Danube does not tolerate delay. In case of danger, every centimeter is important. The Free State invests several hundred million euros in protecting the residents of the region, he emphasized. The second stage of expansion now must be implemented quickly and energetically.
This position was supported by the Landrat of Deggendorf Bernd Sibler (CSU). In his opinion, now the federal government must issue the remaining permits — this should become a simple formality and be completed by the end of April. Construction must begin as early as the current year. At the same time, flood protection is of primary importance, and the development of the Danube as a shipping highway is secondary.
Coastal residents expressed relief
After it became known in the autumn of 2025 about a further delay in the decision on the plan, the GDWS named the absence of the EU conclusion as the reason. However, on the ground, many residents of the coastal zones think otherwise. Jürgen Roith (CSU), the mayor of the Winzer community, is in dire need of flood protection measures. From his point of view, the delay was allowed not by the EU leadership, but by the federal agency WSV. The EU was not the problem; one cannot always blame Brussels for everything. They worked even relatively promptly; the documents from the German agency simply did not hit their desk earlier, he noted in a conversation with BR. He expressed satisfaction that the conclusion was finally received.
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