Sweden as well as most other countries in western Europe are parts of a common labour market where free movement of the labour force is encouraged. As in all recognised specialties of medicine, most national Anaesthesia societies or colleges have joined the Specialist Committee of the Union Européenne des Médicins Spécialistes (UEMS) as well as the European Board of Anaesthesiology in a joint European effort intended to promote the highest possible standard in the practice of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care throughout the European Union and the European Economic Space. Education of specialists in our field of medicine is considered one of the top priorities in this process. The European Academy of Anaesthesiology is working together with these organisations and is offering the specialist organisations or colleges in Europe to take part in their specialist examination, hospital recognition programme and in-training examinations. Our country, among others, has adopted the European Diploma of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care as the national examination for future specialists in our discipline.