The Danube is the second longest river in Europe and represents the main inland waterway transport Corridor linking Western and Eastern Europe through the Rhine, the Main and the Rhine-Main-Danube canal. It connects the North Sea with the Black Sea crossing the countries of Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and the Ukraine. In the context of the Memorandum of Understanding, and taking into consideration the results of the 3rd Pan European Transport Conference of Helsinki, June 1997, the Pan-European Transport Corridor VII refers to the Danube inland waterway, the Black Sea-Danube Canal, the Danube branches Kilia and Sulina, the inland waterway links between the Black Sea and the Danube, the Danube - Sava canal, the Danube - Thissa canal and the relevant port infrastructures situated on these inland waterways.

Transhipment facilities, necessary for developing combined transport (inland waterways with other modes of transport) are also considered as part of the Corridor.

The activities of the Pan-European Corridor VII also take into consideration other neighbouring inland waterway and port infrastructure insofar as they have influence on the Corridor.