"FAbrication, Irradiation and Reprocessing of FUELS and targets for transmutation (FAIRFUELS) provides a way towards a more efficient use of fissile material in nuclear reactors with a view to reducing the volume and hazard of high level long-lived radioactive waste, closing the nuclear fuel cycle. In order to contribute to the competitiveness of Europe, the Collaborative Project FAIRFUELS will conduct appropriate studies in synergy with other fuel and actinide partitioning & transmutation projects while maintaining close links with Gen IV International Forum. In fabrication technology and assessment of transmutation performance, FAIRFUELS will focus on minor actinides. Dedicated fuels will be fabricated and a fairly comprehensive irradiation programme will be carried out to address transmutation performance. In parallel, FAIRFUELS will conduct Post Irradiation Examination (PIE) of certain previously irradiated fuels and targets to provide in-depth information on their irradiation behaviour. In support of the PIE, modelling aspects of these fuels will be developed. A training and education programme will also be implemented to share the knowledge among the community, with a link to other related projects. In accordance with the road-mapping exercise undertaken in FP6 and the SNE-TP vision report, the FAIRFUELS consortium, comprising of nuclear research bodies, industry, European Joint Research Centres, and European universities, will endeavour to improve our knowledge in the area of fuels and targets to form a basis for the development of future demonstration systems."