A pre-licensing assessment of the EAGLES-300 lead-cooled small modular reactor has been launched by the Belgian, Italian and Romanian nuclear regulators. The International Atomic Energy Agency is supporting this project as a pilot project within its Nuclear Harmonisation and Standardisation Initiative. Four European nuclear technology organisations launched the Eagles Consortium in June this year to develop and commercialise the EAGLES-300 SMR with the aim of delivering a first demonstration by 2035. The EAGLES-300 pre-licensing project is a first-of-a-kind initiative: "Never before have national regulators collaborated so early in the development process of an advanced SMR", consortium members said. The Eagles Consortium plans to leverage two test facilities on its route to commercialisation.