The standard Lower Carboniferous succession for Europe is based on conodont faunas from West Germany described by Voges and Bischoff. Further studies in Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, North Africa, Britain and Ireland, have established conodont sequences which, while broadly similar to those of Germany, display important differences. Continuing research on the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary, the interpretation of the German succession, the comparison of conodont zonation with zones based on other organisms, interbasinal and intercontinental correlation, and geographic and facies variation are reviewed. Data from current investigations of the faunas of the Upper Tournaisian and Viséan are presented. Zonation based on...