STIs in Europe are back in the headlines, and not for good reasons. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is flagging sustained increases across the EU and EEA, with gonorrhoea and syphilis climbing fast.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about blame, panic, or moralising. It’s about reality. STIs are circulating, testing and prevention aren’t always keeping up, and we need a smarter, more practical reset that fits how people actually date, hook up, and live.
What the official numbers say about STIs in Europe (and what they don’t)
If you’re going to talk about STIs, you have to talk about data properly. Surveillance figures depend on who gets tested, how often, which tests are used, and how consistently cases are reported. A rise in diagnoses can mean more transmission, but it can also reflect better access to testing, more routine screening, or changes in reporting.
Still, the ECDC’s message is blunt: the direction of travel for STIs in Europe is worrying.
Gonorrhoea: the steepest climb
The ECDC reports that in 2023, nearly 100,000 confirmed gonorrhoea cases were notified across EU/EEA countries, up 31% on 2022, and more than 300% higher than 2014.
Syphilis: rising year after year
In 2023, 41,051 confirmed syphilis cases were reported in 29 EU/EEA countries, up 13% vs 2022, and roughly double the 2014 level.
Chlamydia: huge numbers, a different pattern
Chlamydia remains one of the most commonly diagnosed STIs. The ECDC notes increases (more moderate depending on the year), but overall high levels, partly because some countries test widely.
Bottom line: this isn’t a tiny statistical wobble. The ECDC is calling for stronger prevention and a more serious public health response to STIs in Europe.
Why are STIs in Europe increasing? It’s not one thing
There’s no single culprit. It’s a mix of factors that stack up.
1) Dating networks are more connected than ever
Travel, festivals, weekend city breaks, nightlife, and apps mean sexual networks are highly connected. When an infection is circulating, it can move quickly, and STIs in Europe reflect that reality.
2) The testing “paradox”: more screening means more diagnoses
This matters for perspective. If more people test more often, you will find more infections, including asymptomatic ones.
But testing alone doesn’t explain the scale and persistence of the trend. The breadth of the increases suggests more transmission is also happening across STIs in Europe.
3) Prevention fatigue (and messaging that doesn’t land)
Prevention has sometimes been reduced to vague warnings without practical tools. In some places, sexual health budgets are tight. That can mean fewer visible campaigns, less community outreach, and fewer easy routes into testing. Meanwhile, STIs in Europe keep rising.
4) Access isn’t equal, even within the same country
Big city clinics vs rural areas, long waits, cost barriers, confidentiality worries, and LGBTQ+ friendliness all shape whether people test early and treat fast. These inequalities are part of the story of STIs in Europe.
5) PrEP changed HIV prevention, but it doesn’t stop STIs
PrEP is a game-changer for HIV prevention. It does not protect against gonorrhoea, syphilis, or chlamydia.
In practice, PrEP often comes with regular check-ups and routine screening, which is a good thing. The point isn’t “PrEP caused this.” The point is: can we use PrEP services as a gateway to full-spectrum sexual health, without letting STIs in Europe become the blind spot?
STIs in Europe: where the ECDC says the response is falling short
Beyond the case numbers, the ECDC looks at how countries respond. In its 2024 report monitoring national responses to STI epidemics, it highlights big differences across the EU/EEA:
National strategies that are incomplete or out of date
Testing that’s insufficient or poorly targeted
Prevention that doesn’t reach the people who need it most
Data that isn’t comparable enough, and surveillance systems that aren’t robust enough
This isn’t academic. When prevention and testing aren’t strong, infections circulate longer, complications rise, and outbreaks become harder to control. That’s the public health reality behind STIs in Europe.
The issue clinicians are watching closely: antibiotic resistance
With gonorrhoea, one word keeps coming up: resistance. Gonorrhoea is bacterial and treatable, but Neisseria gonorrhoeae has a long track record of developing resistance.
What that means in real life:
some treatments become less effective
care can get more complex
early testing and prevention become even more important
So yes, many STIs are treatable. But “treatable” should never become “not serious,” especially with STIs in Europe trending upward.
What this means for gay and bi men (and why stigma helps nobody)
Gay and bisexual men are often more affected by certain STIs, not because of who they are, but because of network dynamics, sexual practices, and sometimes more frequent testing (which also means more diagnoses).
The wrong response is stigma. The right response is tools: clear information, easy access to testing, vaccination where available, and realistic harm reduction. If we’re going to talk about STIs in Europe, we have to do it without clichés.
The sexual health trio that actually works
Regular testing (based on your sex life, not shame)
Fast treatment and partner notification where possible
Combination prevention: condoms, PrEP (for HIV), vaccination (HPV, hepatitis depending on context), plus harm-reduction strategies
Practical steps you can take (without the lecture)
1) Test at a rhythm that matches your life
There’s no one-size-fits-all schedule. But if you have multiple partners, condomless sex, or you’re changing partners, regular testing is a solid safety net. It’s a key reflex in the context of STIs in Europe.
2) Don’t wait for symptoms
Many STIs are asymptomatic or subtle. Waiting for symptoms is often waiting too long.
3) Ask about “sites of exposure”
Depending on what you do, testing may need to cover multiple sites (genital, anal, throat). This is especially relevant for gonorrhoea and chlamydia.
4) Don’t sleep on vaccination
Depending on your country and your situation, HPV and hepatitis vaccination may be part of your prevention toolkit. Where it’s available, it’s worth making sure people actually know about it. It’s one more lever that matters when STIs in Europe are rising.
5) Keep prevention sexy, not punitive
Prevention shouldn’t be anti-pleasure. The goal is to stay in your desire and your life, while reducing risk. The real issue is access to information and services, not guilt, especially as STIs in Europe trend upward.
What governments and health services need to do (urgently)
If we take the ECDC warning seriously, the burden can’t sit on individuals alone.
Priority 1: make testing genuinely easy
quick appointments
LGBTQ+-competent services
guaranteed confidentiality
mobile and community-led options where they work
Priority 2: modernise prevention for how people actually meet
campaigns designed for apps and real-life venues
clear messaging about STIs (not only HIV)
harm reduction without judgement
Priority 3: improve surveillance and publish clearer public updates
better data quality
more consistent definitions and reporting pathways
public-facing summaries that people can actually understand
Conclusion
STIs in Europe doesn’t mean panic. It means the signals are strong and consistent, and the ECDC is warning that gonorrhoea and syphilis are rising across the EU/EEA.
The response has to be collective: easier testing, combination prevention, vaccination where available, and communication that respects people’s lives.
Because sexual health isn’t a moral judgement. It’s healthcare.
Institutional sources (selection)
ECDC, “STI cases continue to rise across Europe”: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/sti-cases-continue-rise-across-europe
ECDC, “Monitoring of the responses to sexually transmitted infection epidemics in EU/EEA countries (2024)”: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/monitoring-responses-sexually-transmitted-infection-epidemics-eueea-countries
Santé publique France, “PrEP monitoring and HIV incidence after PrEP initiation in France (2016–18)”: https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/import/prep-monitoring-and-hiv-incidence-after-prep-initiation-in-france-2016-18-nationwide-cohort-study
For comments or projects, please contact me.
