A key element of the DANTE project is to get the national stakeholders (public and private) actively involved in the identification and analysis of inefficient procedures and processes which burden the IWT users and cause time loses as well as generate extra financial costs. In this respect, the first round of national working table meetings organized in six Danube countries (Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria) provided an excellent opportunity for an interactive discussion around the following thematic areas:

• Border Police, Tax & Customs
• Navigation/Traffic control authorities
• Port Authorities/administrations
• Waterway & canal administrations
• Other relevant authorities imposing barriers

The six meetings were held during the period April - July 2017 and gathered a total of 300 participants from the relevant national and regional public authorities, on one hand, and the inland waterway users and operators, on the other. They gave a valuable insight on the key problems that need to be tackled and the fields in which administration and reporting in IWT should be simplified, harmonised and digitalised. They also served as an arena for constructive dialogue, generation of ideas for possible improvements and sharing of good practices. 

The valuable input shall be used to elaborate country reports on procedures and processes in the Danube IWT at national level which will then be further consolidated in order to facilitate the drawing of guidelines and recommendations on the Danube region level. A second round of national working table meetings will take place in the spring of 2018, where the draft national reports including the required changes and improvements shall be discussed.