Cognitive assessment in memory clinics requires selection of the appropriate tests according to several criteria such as (a) sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis purpose, (b) equivalence of test forms for follow-up purposes, (c) pragmatic aspects (acceptability, duration), (d) theoretical background. Clearly, there is not any single test available that can satisfy all these requirements. Clinical experiences from many groups involved in memory clinics were collected and compared in order to try and identify strategies to improve and, it was hoped, to make uniform various methods for memory assessment. Indeed, early diagnosis, a condition sine qua non for better treatment, should benefit from such uniform and theory-based assessment across French-speaking countries.