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Measles and rubella remain important causes of vaccine-preventable diseases in the WHO European Region. The WHO Regional Committee for Europe formally adopted the goal of eliminating indigenous measles transmission in 1998. In 2005, the Regional Committee expanded this commitment to include rubella and set a date for the elimination of both diseases by 2010. In the document Eliminating measles and rubella and prevention congenital rubella infection, WHO European Region strategic plan 2005–2010, key strategies are identified to meet the targets for interrupting the transmission of indigenous measles and rubella and preventing congenital rubella infection, and strengthening surveillance systems to include vigorous case investigation. Laboratory confirmation is one of these key strategies. Surveillance guidelines for measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in the WHO European Region are intended to provide technical advice on the design and implementation of surveillance programmes for these diseases in line with the elimination goal. Surveillance indicators defined in these guidelines will be critical for assessing whether Member States have achieved the level of disease surveillance necessary for monitoring progress towards eliminating the transmission of indigenous measles and rubella and verifying that the Region’s elimination objectives have been reached.