With the recent and continuing fervour of activity surrounding European integration, '1992' is extremely appropriate both as a year and theme for a Special Issue of Regional Studies. When the Single European Market (SEM) programme was launched in 1985, it seemed that the social and spatial dimensions of the process might be left behind. Cecchini, for example, gave only brief mention to regional disparities; his main concern was that they should not stand in the way of greater European integration. Delors believed that the SEM would promote convergence, expecting that all regions would benefit from the trickle down effect of European economic growth, and regional disparities would be reduced by falling transport costs, the greater locational flexibility of investment and government assistance (DELORS1,9 88).