Questionnaires regarding neurosurgical training were sent to all participants of the EANS-training course in Barcelona 1999 and to all national neurosurgical societies of EANS. The completed questionnaires show a significant variation in 1) the demands for education prior to obtaining a neurosurgical training position, 2) in the theoretical training programme and 3) in the surgical experience obtained within the training period. The trainees express a need for improvement of the neurosurgical training programmes. The need for common guidelines for European neurosurgical training as well as regular evaluation of the training programmes are discussed.