European Material Test Reactors (MTRs) have provided essential support for nuclear power programs over the last 40 years. MTRs are now ageing in Europe and they cannot ensure the securing of experimental capability for the next decades. In this context, a new Material Testing Reactor, named Jules Horowitz Reactor -JHR-, operated as an international user-facility, is under development in Europe. The European MTRs context and the JHR objectives and status will be presented. Emphasis will be put on experiments in the field of nuclear fuels and materials irradiation which are developed in the framework of European and international collaboration.