EMbaRC is an EU project funded under the Seventh Framework Programme, Research Infrastructures action (INFRA-2008-1.1.2.9: Biological Resources Centres (BRCs) for microorganisms). It aims to improve, coordinate and validate microbial resource centre (MRC) delivery to European and International researchers from both public and private sectors. To ensure harmonisation of the quality of MRCs, EMbaRC plans to take the current OECD best practice guidelines and emerging national standards for Biological Resource Centres (BRCs) to the international level. Outreach and training activities will ensure that all European collections can take advantage of the outputs of the consortium’s work.