Since the late 1990s, the European Commission is supporting the HTR-TN partnership work on the development of HTR, that resulted in confirming HTR high potential in terms of safety (inherent safety features), environmental impact (robust fuel without significant radioactive release), sustainability (potential suitability for various fuel cycles), and economics (high efficiency, simplifications arising from safety features). In April 2005, a new 4-year Integrated Project on HTR/VHTR (RAPHAEL – ReActor for Process Heat And ELectricity) was started as part of EURATOM 6 th Framework Programme (FP6), with the 33 partners from industry, R&D organisations and academia. The main priorities of the project are the increase of performances (temperature 800-1000°C, and burn-up up to 200 GWd/tHM) and the adaptation of technologies to the needs of heat supply for industrial processes, in line with the conclusions of the Generation IV roadmap: search for advanced materials and fuel for higher operating temperatures, development of components required for heat applications (intermediate heat exchanger and high power helium circulator), examination of the specific issues raised by higher performances and industrial process heat applications in the HTR safety approach developed during