| 1996 European Short Course Swimming Championships | |
|---|---|
| Host city | Rostock, Germany |
| Date(s) | 13–15 December 1996 |
| Nations participating | 21 |
← 1994 1998 → | |
The first edition of the European Short Course Championships was held in Rostock, Germany, from December 13 to December 15, 1996. The event, just a couple of months after the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, replaced the European Sprint Swimming Championships, where only the 50 m events and the 100 m individual medley were at stake. From this edition on, also the events longer than that were contested.