An overview of the EU breeding blanket design strategy as an integral part of the DEMO design effort

•The performance and reliability of the breeding blanket are foremost considerations in the development and deployment of fusion power.•No breeding blanket has ever been built or tested. Hence, its integrated functions and reliability represent a very challenging development.•This paper provides an overview of the revised design and development strategy for the DEMO breeding blanket in Europe.•It includes a proposal to change the EU TBM options to be tested in ITER, in particular to replace a HCLL concept with a WCLL concept.•This is needed to obtain important information from the two current breeders (solid and liquid) and coolants (helium and water) being considered for DEMO.