12 of the Wachau’s 13 municipalities formed a LEADER+ region in the LEADER+ period back in 2002 (the Local Action Group Wachau World Heritage Site).

In 2007, this region added five further municipalities from the Dunkelsteinerwald (two of which, namely Schönbühel-Aggsbach and Bergern im Dunkelsteinerwald, already participated in the Local Action Group Wachau World Heritage Site). Moreover, the municipality of Krems, which was significantly involved in the regional cooperation of the Wachau in the LEADER+ period, but was unable to participate as a LEADER+ municipality due to its size, has been able to participate as a full member of the LEADER region Wachau-Dunkelsteinerwald since 2007 following a change in the rules at national level.

In the LEADER period for 2014-2020, this region comprised 17 municipalities.

Up from July 1st 2023 the current LEADER period 2023-27 started, wheras 2 more municipalities joined the region. Furth bei Göttweig did already cooperate in recent years in different matters of the world heritage, and Karlstetten, which joins the group of municipalities in the Dunkelsteinerwald.

The extent of the cooperation between the two sub-regions is defined by the necessary degree of cooperation in the individual topic areas. Both sub-regions are also granted the necessary degree of autonomy in regional development required by the different objectives of both regions.