  As we move towards the era of ELTs, it is timely to think about the future
role of the 8-m class telescopes. Under the OPTICON programme, novel
technologies have been developed that are intended for use in multi-object and
integral-field spectrographs. To date, these have been targeted at instrument
concepts for the European ELT, but there are also significant possibilities for
their inclusion in new VLT instruments, ensuring the continued success and
productivity of these unique telescopes.
