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Free-Electron Lasers (FELs) combine the properties of lasers and synchrotron radiation: the possibility to produce high-power, short-pulsed, laser-like radiation in spectral regions not accessible by other light-sources. Operation of an FEL in the Vacuum Ultra Violet (VUV) to X-ray spectral region has proven challenging, however, mainly because of the increased demands set to the accelerator technology as the wavelength becomes shorter (higher peak currents and beam energy, combined with a high stability and a lower emittance and/or energy spread). Over the last decade many of these challenges have been addressed and several laboratories have demonstrated successful operation from the Infrared to the VUV. These results are very significant as they pave the way to the construction of the next-generation light-sources. Moreover, they have demonstrated the validity of the tools used to design and predict performances of such devices at these-, or ever shorter wavelengths. This presentation gives an overview of the VUV and soft X-Ray FEL activity. Emphasis goes to the proposed new user-facilities and the FEL R&D projects, which can make these- and future X-ray FEL light-sources a success.
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