Operations of Tore Supra have resumed after a major upgrade of internal components in order to increase the heat extraction capability to 25 MW for 1000 s and address long pulse research at a level of power density flowing through the separatrix relevant for next step. The overview highlights first the related technology developments : industrial realization and tests with plasma of about 600 plasma limiter components made of some 12000 actively cooled CFC tiles. World record breaking

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... with a coupled energy of 0.74 GJ have been obtained with durations exceeding 4 minutes only limited by the long pulse capability of the heating and current drive systems. Particle balance analysis shows that the in-vessel Deuterium inventory never reached saturation possibly in connection with heavy carbon deposit seen in the neutralization zone. The invessel inventory is reduced when efficient supersonic gas injection is used. New physics is observed when the loop voltage vanishes for long times : density remains peaked in absence of the Ware Pinch effect and, independently, the response to additional heating becomes dominated by complex interplay between transport and current drive. The contributions of the Euratom-CEA Association to fusion energy research also include new developments in the field of Negative Ion Beam Injection (1000 s H source and Singap acceleration to 1 MeV) and in the field of superconductors (cable in conduit concept, connections, testing). Finally, European studies for Cadarache as a site for ITER conclude that all ITER technical requirements are met.