Anticipating these guidelines, under the aegis of the 6th framework programme, in 2007, the Specific Support Action (SSA) named “Roadmap for a European Innovative Sodium cooled FAst Reactor – EISOFAR” aimed enabling the European Community to define its specific R&D strategic objectives for a fourth generation European Sodium cooled Fast Reactor (ESFR).

The corresponding Roadmap has the ambition to be a key component of the European SRA which address the needs for research and development as well as for technology demonstration (at the pre-competitive stage). The large integrated Collaborative Project on European Sodium Fast Reactor (CP ESFR) follows logically this action further identifying, organizing and implementing a significant part of the needed R&D effort. The project is proposed to be realized under the aegis of the 7th FP to answer the EURATOM Work programme 2008 for the topic Innovative Reactor Systems (cf. § Fission-2008-2.2.1) which is identified under the Area II.2.2.2 – Advanced Nuclear Systems.