[Excerpt from publisher] This document attempts to review the HRH situation in the WHO European Region. Section 2 addresses the problems associated with varying definitions to ensure a common understanding of the issues involved. In section 3, a number of key methodological issues (the relevance of HRH, education, management, regulation, etc.,) are analysed. Section 4 summarises the key HRH facts and figures for the Region. In conclusion, section 5 describes the way forward and the main EURO policy proposals for supporting Member States in this complex sphere.