As controlled trials have demonstrated that in many Europeancountries breast cancer mortality may be reduced bypopulation-based mammographic screening of women over theage of 50, there is mounting pressure to introduce newservice screening programmes. How should these programmes beplanned and monitored ? Is it cost-effective ? We invitedexperts whowork with the principal screening programmes inEurope to answer these questions and to describe theirexperiences. Particualr attention has been given toplanning, organisation and monitoring new screeningprogrammes in order to achieve optimal results.