Europe has limited monitoring of testing, diagnosis and treatment policies for viral hepatitis, according to the findings of a survey of the EU states.
Across the EU and the additional countries of the European Economic Area there are "significant gaps" in guidance on testing, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Its findings are based on responses from up to 21 member states to two surveys.
It found that few countries had policies on testing many key groups, such as commercial sex workers, men who have sex with men and people who receive tattoos and piercings.
More than 50% of countries screened people who inject drugs.
The ECDC said there is widespread support for European guidance on testing and its monitoring and evaluation.
Just 12 countries monitored the number of people receiving treatment for HCV infection while only seven counted those with HBV infection.
It is thought that at least nine million people in these countries are infected with HBV or HCV.
A spokesman said: "This baseline assessment on the situation in the EU/EEA, despite its limitations due to its the response rate, provides invaluable information towards the development of a planned ECDC Guidance on hepatitis testing helping to ensure that this new Guidance will focus on the main gaps identified."
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