On the environmental sector problems are often transnational, where the cause lies in one country and the effects in the bordering. The characteristic of regions along borders are similar to less developed region in other are of a country. The lack of financial means makes it very difficult to improve the infrastructure in the regions although from the EU standards point of view necessary and demanded. Especially the projects concerning waste and waste water management, which require considerable amounts of money, technological know-how and to be effective complex organisational and legal structures. The Drava River Basin Project will develop a methodology to enable the authorities in less developed regions to approach these infrastructure projects in a way, that a long-term sustainable, economically and socially viable solution can be found taking into consideration the EU wide environmental and technological standards and using modern organisational and financial models. Achievements: The Drava River Basin Project has achieved the following results: - Systematic Guideline for the Implementation of Environmental Infrastructure Measures in Water and Waste Management Sector for the European Union as well as other Eastern and South-Eastern European Countries, - Integrated Regional Environmental Strategy Concept (master plan for the Drava River Basin project area, consisting of the waste management and water management components), - Successful development of pilot projects and preparation of concrete large-scale investments: one waste management pilot project (regional waste management solution for north-western Croatia) and two wastewater management pilot projects (wastewater management solution for the selected pilot project municipalities of Lepoglava and Varaždinske Toplice, both in north-western Croatia), - Integration of the DRBP waste management pilot project in north-western Croatia into the Croatian National ISPA Strategy, - Wastewater management concepts (technical, economic, ecological, legal, organisational and financial) for the pilot project municipalities of Lepoglava and Varaždinske Toplice, - Establishment of a co-operation network of public and private sector experts from Austria, Croatia, Hungary and other countries and institutions, - Enhancement of the environmental situation in the Drava River Basin and in the Danube regions downriver, - Increase in the living standard of the local populations (positive effect on the local economies, employment and tourism), - Improvements to the environmental infrastructure in the regions, - Optimisation of administrative structures, - Raising public awareness of environmental issues.