Antituberculosis drug resistance, whose extent in Europe is not well documented, is a serious threat to tuberculosis control. The aim of the recent European recommendations on antituberculosis drug resistance surveillance, issued by a working group composed by representatives of WHO, IUATLD and of 35 countries of the WHO European Region, is to enhance standardisation of definitions and methods. These recommendations emphasise quality assurance and linkage of laboratory reports of drug susceptibility tests with clinical notification data. Antituberculosis drug resistance surveillance should become an integral component of tuberculosis surveillance. (R.A.)