The European VLBI Network (EVN) is involved in a number of projects to enhance its performance and capabilities. The gradual implementation of the MkIV recording standard has introduced a number of new possibilities. As well as wider bandwidth recording, allowing the detection of ever fainter continuum sources, the system has improved flexibility for doing spectral line VLBI. This is especially true when combined with the very large correlation capacity that the EVN MkIV data processor offers. This correlator, at the Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE), Dwingeloo, is now providing the main correlator capacity for the EVN, and its capabilities are still being upgraded.

I present an overview of the VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry) project. I summarize the properties of the VERA array and its observational system as well as the current construction status, and I also present a brief overview of the science targets of VERA, including dynamics of the Galaxy and internal kinematics of maser sources.

Astronomical sources of maser emission have now been studied for more than 30 years, and research related to masers spans a very wide range of topics in astrophysics. Over this period great progress has been made in many areas of maser research. This summary will put maser research into an historical perspective and focus on highlights from this conference.