SHARE is harmonized with its role models and sister studies the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), and has the advantage of encompassing cross-national variation in public policy, culture and history across a variety of European countries. Its scientific power is based on its panel design that grasps the dynamic character of the ageing process. SHARE’s multi-disciplinary approach delivers a full picture of the ageing process. Procedural guidelines and programs ensure an ex-ante harmonized cross-national design.