While substantial attention has been given to the introduction of English from the very start of schooling in many European countries today, there remains an insufficient supply of motivated, well-prepared teachers available and willing to meet this demand. This article reviews current mechanisms in Europe aimed at supporting the provision of quality language teacher preparation courses and considers their weaknesses with regard to the needs of primary teachers. This analysis is discussed in relation to evidence of teacher education provision in seven European countries and classroom data drawn from the Early Language Learning in Europe (ELLiE) project. The analysis highlights current weaknesses in provision and concludes by arguing that urgent attention should be given to more relevant guidance in the area of primary teacher education at European level, together with a substantial increase in the provision of continuing professional development in this field across Europe.