The standards for diabetes prevention vary greatly between the EU Member States. By sharing best practices and raising standards in the prevention of type 2 diabetes throughout the EU, the development of the condition in those at risk can be reduced. Major studies have demonstrated that prevention programmes can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Based on convincing evidence from clinical studies, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) have published recommendations for the prevention of the condition. Yet despite these recommendations and the existence of several prevention management concepts in various European countries, EU-wide strategies are still lacking. The authors report on an EU-backed project to improve diabetes prevention in Europe.