An analysis of the revised physics needs and recent progress in the technology of superconducting RF cavities have led to major changes in the speci cation and in the design for a Superconducting Proton Linac (SPL) at CERN. Compared with the rst conceptual design report (CERN 2000012) the beam energy is almost doubled (3.5 GeV instead of 2.2 GeV), while the length of the linac is reduced by 40% and the repetition rate is reduced to 50 Hz. The basic beam power is at a level of 45MW and the approach chosen offers enough margins for upgrades. With this high beam power, the SPL can be the proton driver for an ISOL-type radioactive ion beam facility of the next generation (`EURISOL'), and for a neutrino facility based on superbeam C beta-beam or on muon decay in a storage ring (`neutrino factory'). The SPL can also replace the Linac2 and PS Booster in the low-energy part of the CERN proton accelerator complex, improving signi cantly the beam performance in terms of brightness and intensity for the bene t of all users including the LHC and its luminosity upgrade. Decommissioned LEP klystrons and RF equipment are used to provide RF power at a frequency of 352.2 MHz in the lowenergy part of the accelerator. Beyond 90 MeV, the RF frequency is doubled to take advantage of more compact normal-conducting accelerating structures up to an energy of 180 MeV. From there, state-ofthe- art, high-gradient, bulk-niobium superconducting cavities accelerate the beam up to its nal energy of 3.5 GeV. The overall design approach is presented, together with the progress that has been achieved since the publication of the rst conceptual design report
