HIV infection remains of major public health importance in Europe. In 2012, 131 202 new HIV infections were diagnosed in 52 of the 53 countries of the WHO European Region1. Of those infections, 55 494 were officially reported to ECDC/WHO Regional Office for Europe by 51 countries; 29 381 of which were from the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA)2, while 75 708 infections were reported through the database of the Federal Statistics Agency of the Russian Federation [1]. The surveillance data suggest an overall rate of 7.8 diagnoses per 100 000 population for the WHO European Region and 5.8 per 100 000 for the EU/EEA. The rates are highest in the East of the Region (Table A). The main transmission mode varies by geographical area, illustrating the diversity in the epidemiology of HIV in Europe; heterosexual transmission is the main mode of transmission in the WHO European Region, while sexual transmission between men is the most common mode in the EU/EEA and transmission through injecting drug use remains substantial in the East of the Region.