The project concerns four regions which have been severely hit by flooding over the past years: the Neckar catchment area (one of the tributaries of the Rhine), the Dublin region, the River Enrick and through Glen Urquhart in Scotland, and Swiss areas. The main objective of the project is to go beyond a purely technical and defensive approach (i.e. further extension of protection works) to focus on the reduction of potential flood damage. The project partners believe that flood damage can be minimized by a better integration of flood hazards in urban and rural planning, by taking precautionary measures in policy development, by recognising behavioural change and by engaging in improved flood emergency response planning. Central to the success of this approach will be a comprehensive mapping of flood risks in the Neckar and Dublin area and the subsequent integration of this information into regional development plans. Secondly the project will endeavour to set up cross-sectoral flood partnerships composed of planners, decision-makers and potentially affected stakeholders. This innovative approach aims at significantly mitigating damages that are likely to threaten the safety of people and property, through awareness-raising campaigns and preventive measures. Thirdly, the project partners will improve flood emergency management by developing early flood warning systems based on the input from the flood hazard maps drawn up. The transnationality of the project stems from the exchange of expertise and transfer of knowledge between partners; for instance Baden-Wütternberg will share its unique expertise in flood forecasting with Dublin - the results of the pilot actions taken in the Dublin region will be transferable to other flood-prone areas situated in coastal zones. The transferable outputs of the project will contribute to the implementation of the flood action plan of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR). Achievements: Improvements of the knowledge base: - methods and techniques on large scale mapping projects (data handling, quality management etc.) - stakeholder involvement by creating flood partnerships (start up, run)- development of flood emergency management systems, comparison of systems Policy impacts: - the results are crucial for the implementation of the EU Flood Risk Management Directive in Europe - the results were presented and discussed in EU workings groups (on floods, exchange circles on flood risk management) and may effect the EU Directive - the role of spatial planning in flood risk management processes was reflected and may effect spatial planning policy (in the partner countries, in Europe).