Well-dispersed　PtSnEu/C　and　PtSn/C　catalysts　were　prepared　by　the　impregnation-reduction　method　using　formic　acid　as　a　reductant　and　characterised　by　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　energy　dispersion　X-ray　spectroscopy　(EDX)　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS).　The　synthesised　catalysts　with　different　atomic　ratios　of　Pt/Sn/Eu　have　the　Pt　face　centered　cubic　(fcc)　structure　and　their　particle　sizes　are　3-4　nm.　The　PtSnEu/C　catalyst　is　composed　of　many　Pt　(0),　SnO2,　Eu(OH)　3,　a　small　amount　of　Pt(II)　and　partly　alloyed　PtSn,　but　no　metallic　Eu.　The　electrochemical　measurements　indicate　that　in　comparison　with　Pt　3Sn1/C　catalyst,　the　Pt3Sn1Eu　1/C　catalyst　for　ethanol　oxidation　has　more　negative　onset　potential,　smaller　apparent　activation　energy　and　lower　electrochemical　impedance　so　that　it　exhibits　very　high　catalytic　activity.　Its　peak　current　density　increases　by　135%　and　40%,　compared　with　Pt3Sn1/C　and　Pt　1Ru1/C　(JM)　catalysts,　respectively.　This　is　because　the　Eu(OH)3　formed　by　adding　Eu　to　PtSn/C　catalyst　can　provide　the　OH　group　which　is　in　favour　of　the　removal　of　adsorbed　intermediates　and　ethanol　oxidation.　Copyright　©　2010　WILEY-VCH　Verlag　GmbH　&　Co.　KGaA,　Weinheim.