Objective: To record the current standards of management and education in trauma surgery in 12 geographically and socioeconomically diverse countries in Europe. Design: Questionnaire study. Setting: Teaching hospital, Austria. Intervention: Questionnaire sent to experts on trauma in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Main outcome measure: Comparison of management of patients before, during, and after admission to hospital, and opportunities for initial and in-service training. Results: Management of patients and opportunities for training varied considerably from country to country, ranging from an organised trauma service throughout with specialised training to a haphazard and variable service that depended more on individual hospitals, doctors and patients. Conclusions: Standardisation of management and training would be desirable, and should be possible at least in countries that are members of the European Union.