After presenting the strategy and objectives of the European Fusion Programme, an overview is given of the tritium related R&D activities presently undertaken in Europe and how they primarily support the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. The results mainly concern tritium operations at the Joint European Torus and R&D activities conducted at the two principal European laboratories, Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe and the European Tritium Handling Experimental Laboratory, and their support facilities.