In the previous edition of the Championships, held in Pau, France, 2008, a new format was introduced in the Open series: teams were split in two groups and played a round robin within each group; the top teams then joined in a second round robin from which the new European Champions emerged. In 2008, each qualifying team met again in the second round robin with the teams it had met in the qualifying round, and the result of the first match did no longer matter. This year, this will not happen. Qualified teams will carry over to the second round robin the entire result of their qualifying matches, and these matches will not be played again. Accordingly, the duration of the Championships will be reduced by three days, allowing it to start on Tuesday instead of the usual Saturday.

Originally held in Scheveningen, The Netherlands, in 1932, the European Bridge Team Championships became the principal competition organized by the European Bridge League for teams representing the member countries. It started as a single series competition for open teams, but in 1935, a women teams series was added. The senior series became part of the competition much later, in 1995. Since 2002, the European Team Cham­pi­on­ships are held every even-numbered year.

The first European champions, back in 1932, were Austria, who also won the first women event in 1935. The first senior champions, Poland, were declared 30 years later. All in all, Italy has won most gold medals in the open series (19 against France's 8 and England's 7), while England prevails in the women (with 13 gold medals, against France's 12 and Denmark's 6), and France in the seniors (with 3 gold medals, against Poland's 2).

• For a complete list of the previous events, their venues and winners, click here.
• To see the reigning champions, click here to go to the 49th European Team Championships site.