The European Board of Surgery Qualification (EBSQ) was born in 1996.

The EU has sent delegates to the Section of Surgery, UEMS and the EBS for some years. The EBSQ is the only way to harmonise surgical standards across the EU. It is recognised that standards very across Europe and although CCST must be recognised across Europe, in practice there are 15 CCSTs of different standards. UK and Ireland have surgical training programmes and standards which are admired and the EBSQ has been centred in London and the sterling area. There is therefore a unique opportunity to influence European surgery. What is far from certain is whether UK trainee surgeons will feel the need to take EBSQ, for them it is very much an optional extra.