Hmmm....I live in Europe too, and there are situations on this continent where I have found tips to be the norm, while there are fewer of them than in the US, they do exist here. Or do you go out of your way to avoid these situations in Europe as well?

Unless by saying you don't 'have to tip' you mean you are not absolutely required to tip, then yes that is true....but that is true in the US as well. You are not absolutely required to tip there either....it's just the cultural norm in some situations.