The European Under 23 (or "U-23") Swimming Championships (50 m) is a biennial swimming competition for European swimmers organized by the Ligue Européenne de Natation and held over three days.
[4] In addition to European nations, the Under 23 Championship rules allow non-European guest nations to be invited to increase competitiveness, at a maximum of one per continent.
Swimmers from these nations will be able to win 'commemorative' medals reflecting their position in the physical race as if it was a standard non-championship meet, while the top three European swimmers will receive the championship gold, silver and bronze.
As such, some events will award two silver medals, for example, one for a guest who finished second in a final, and one for the second placed European swimmer in the same race.
In the first edition, United States, Zimbabwe and South Africa accepted invitations to the championships.