In June 2000, the governments of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania signed a bilateral agreement on the technical, financial, legal and organizational aspects of the construction of the new connection between the two countries. The location of the bridge was selected on the basis of a route study, environmental impact assessment, social and economic aspects - carried out in the 1990s, which determined the optimal location for the bridge, namely between the cities of Vidin (Bulgaria) and Calafat (Romania).

The project on the Bulgarian side includes the following contracts:

• Contract 1: Design and construction of a combined (road and rail) bridge with four road lanes, one railway line, a cycle path and two pedestrian paths.
• Contract 2: Construction of the adjacent road and rail infrastructure, which includes: the construction of a new freight railway station and 7 km of new railway line, reconstruction of the existing passenger railway station and construction of 7 double-level road junctions.

On the Romanian side, the project includes: Construction of a 5 km new railway line, 5 km first-class road and a terminal point for general border control and toll collection for road transport.

With the grant funding from AFD (French Development Agency) in 2001-2002, preliminary economic, financial and social analyses of the construction of a new bridge were carried out, which were carried out by VSEOM ("BCIOM"), together with the Bulgarian companies "ITK" and "Patinvestengineering" and the Romanian company IPTANA. This also includes updating the indicative price of the project for a second bridge in the Bulgarian section of the Danube and the sub-projects for the selected location of the bridge.

With funding from KfW (the German Credit Institution), geological and hydrotechnical surveys were carried out in 2001 by RRI, GYUS and IPTANA.

With grant funding from KfW (the German Credit Institution for Reconstruction), preliminary geological and hydrotechnical surveys were carried out in the area of ​​the selected option, at a location (km 796), which were carried out by the German company RRI ("Rhein Ruhr Ingenieurgesellschaft"), together with the Bulgarian company "GYUS" and the Romanian company IPTANA ("Iptana"). These surveys confirm the correctness of the selected location, providing the necessary topographical and geological data for the preparation of the preliminary designs.

During the period 2001-2003, preliminary studies and an environmental and water impact assessment (EIA) were carried out by ERM LAHMEYER International, together with the Bulgarian companies IRIN and Geomarin and the Romanian company AGRARO CONSULT. After public discussions in Vidin and Calafat, the EIA report was finally approved and adopted at the end of 2004.

With the grant funding from the EU ISPA program since the beginning of 2003, the British-Spanish consortium Scot Wilson Holding/Iberinsa/Flint&Neill Partnership (“Scott Wilson Holding”/“Iberinsa”/“Flint&Neill Partnership”) has been appointed as the International Engineering and Management Consultant (IEMC) to the Ministry of Transport to prepare a conceptual design for the bridge in three variants, a Technical Design for the adjacent road and railway infrastructure on the Bulgarian side and tender documents for the selection of contractors and consultants, in accordance with the conditions and procedures of the European Commission. During the construction period, the IEMC, through a permanent advisor on site, will provide assistance to the Project Implementation and Management Unit.

The budget of the project on the Romanian side is 48 million euros, including a grant from the EU ISPA program and financing from the Romanian state budget.

Through international tendering procedures on 30.01.2007, the Spanish company FCC ("FCC") was appointed as the FIDIC Contractor for the design and construction of the main bridge, and the Franco-British consortium Ingerop/High-Point Rendel ("Ingerop/High-Point Rendel") was appointed as the FIDIC Engineer to carry out design control and construction supervision. On 26.10.2007, FCC was appointed as the Contractor under Contract 3, with Ingerop/High-Point Rendel/Salfo ("Ingerop/High-Point Rendel/Salfo") as the Supervising Engineer.

The Bulgarian-Romanian company "Danube Bridge Vidin - Calafat" AD was established at a shareholders' meeting held in the building of the Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications on 06.06.2013 as a result of a signed Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of Romania for the establishment of a joint commercial structure - operator of the new combined (road and railway) bridge between the two sides of the Danube River between the cities of Vidin (Republic of Bulgaria) and Calafat (Romania). The company's headquarters and management address are in the city of Vidin.

The operator "Danube Bridge Vidin-Calafat" AD carries out the overall maintenance of the technical condition of the bridge, ensuring its safe and reliable passage, and is responsible for the collection of bridge tolls from motor vehicles passing over the bridge.

The joint-stock company with equal capital shares from both parties - "Danube Bridge Vidin-Calafat" AD has its registered office in the city of Vidin, and "Danube Bridge Vidin-Calafat" AD - branch Calafat is registered with a branch in the city of Calafat.