AbstractSeveral important projects of tokamaks have been undertaken worldwide and some of them inside the European Community, such as the Joint European Torus (JET) which has already furnished a large scientific contribution and the Next European Torus (NET) which can be considered as under project. These machines will be finally fuelled with deuterium-tritium mixtures (DT) and, then, the whole systems will include Tritium Plants (TP). Taking into account the risks inherent to tritium and the TP reliability to ensure, tritium handling has to be developed.In this paper, all main recent developments from the European Tritium Handling Programme are overviewed after having recalled the major problems to overcome in relation with the whole process. Firstly, the JET Active Gas Handling System, the conception of which can be considered as original as regards other “classical” systems, will be discussed because being basically interesting and potentially transposable. The other developments, mainly within the framework of the NET Tritium Technology Programme are after indicated. They concern DT (re) processing methods (DT purification and storage, tritium recovery from tritiated water and/or tritiated effluents...) as well as useful basic studies (aging studies of tritides, analysis of tritiated media...) in connexion with various technologies developed in several Laboratories of the Community. Globally all the results obtained in the last four years undoubtedly represent a considerable effort and constitute now and henceforth a valuable informations source.Finally conclusions are drawn as regards the future developments to achieve in relation with the existing results and the final objectives so that to optimize the European Tritium Handling Programme.