On masters vs PhD: here in the Netherlands you have to do Bachelor -> Master -> PhD. I don't think it's at all common to skip masters and go straight to PhD. And pretty much anyone who completes bachelor continues with master.
It is not really masters vs. PhD in the US, it's MS vs. MS+PhD. Even programs where you do not explicitly receive an MS, it is essentially implied.
Some UK courses now are 4 year MEng vs 3 year BEng + optional 1 year MSc (FWIW I started on the former and ended up doing the latter for various reasons).
In Scotland there used to be 5 year MEng courses - very popular starting points for PhDs.
I think it is like this pretty much everywhere but the US. At least it is in France, UK, and Japan, and the US are the only country I have heard so far where you don't have to get a master before a PhD.
Australia too. Though you have to have done an "Honours" degree which is an additional year with a research thesis that is roughly equivalent to a Masters by research. You can also have done a Masters though to get into a PhD if you didn't do Honours.