The European Union (EU) aims to eliminate foxmediated rabies from its territory by 2020. At first sight, this seems a rather ambitious goal considering that this horrifying disease has tormented humans and animals in Europe since ancient times. However, Dr Conrad Freuling (WHO), Dr Ad Vos (Ceva) and Dr Thomas Müller (WHO) are confident that collecting and sharing rabies surveillance data through the RBE will safeguard the unprecedented success in rabies control achieved in Europe.