SPIRIT (Support of Public and Industrial Research Using Ion Beam Technology) is an Integrating Activities project funded by the European Union for a duration of 4 years which interlinks 11 leading European ion beam facilities. 7 of the partners provide TransNational Access by supplying ions an energy range from ~10 keV to 100 MeV for modification and analysis of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and nanostructures, addressing materials, biomedical and environmental research and technology as well as cultural heritage. A highly complementary equipment and areas of specialization. resided with the partners cover the full spectrum of user requirements. The project aims at  enhancing user access across Europe and increasing the quality of research by sharing best practice, harmonizing procedures and extending the services into new emerging fields and to new users especially from the new member states and from industry. An independent European User Selection Panel examines user proposals under a common SPIRIT procedure. Networking activities include the development of common standards for quality assessment; training and consultancy for User researchers and foresight studies. Joint Research Activities are promoting emerging fields such as targeted single ion implantation for irradiation of living cells; ion-beam based analysis with ultrahigh depth resolution; ion-based 3-D tomography, and chemical and molecular imaging. In joint efforts, detector systems and the associated software are being improved, and to develop means to reduce sample deterioration by the analyzing ion beam will be established. The paper will give an overview on the structure and the activities of the project, and report on the achievements during its first 18 months of duration.