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Phosphate concentrations in European rivers have decreased over the last two decades, by more than 30% from > 0.15 mg l^-1 in the early 90-ies to ca. 0.08 mg l^-1 in 2008. Most of the decrease occurred in the 1990s, reflecting the general improvement in wastewater treatment and reduced phosphate content of detergents over this period. High concentrations (> 0.1 mg l^-1 P) are found in several regions with high population densities and intensive agriculture, including southeast UK, part of the Netherlands, Belgium, Southern Italy, central Spain and Portugal, western Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Macedonia, northern Greece. Given that phosphorus concentrations greater than 0.1 mg l^-1 P are sufficiently high to promote freshwater eutrophication, the observed high values in some regions of Europe are of particular concern.