The application of functionally graded materials (FGM) principles is widespread in Europe, despite the lack of national or European programs coordinating the efforts of the individual institutions and researchers. In the following article, the status of research in Europe will be outlined by examples of research projects from various application fields. More detailed information on European FGM research is available from the proceedings of the FGM '94 symposium held in October 1994 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The symposium was organized by B. Ilschner through the Materials Department of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne.