The Fusion Materials Programme of the European Communities is largely focused on the next step in the European strategy towards fusion energy development, i.e. on NET, the Next European Torus. The main objectives and operating conditions of NET are therefore first briefly presented. Consequently a review is given of the present status of our knowledge regarding the main metallic structural materials envisaged for the first wall/blanket and for the divertor plates. Attention is further paid to the need for longer term research and development towards low activation structural materials to be used in a post-NET Demonstration Reactor. Finally a survey is presented of the current European Fusion Technology Programme devoted to the various candidate structural and protection materials for fusion devices.