Introduction

Abstract

Integrating the markets for industrial products is undoubtedly the core of private and public activity in the framework of the European Economic Community. Twenty-five years after the beginnings of the EEC market integration had come to be taken for granted, however. Until the early 1980’s there was little realization of the highly unsatisfactory state of affairs in this domain. The political inertia and entrepreneurial hesitation to foster EC-wide industrial market integration was matched — for a while — by a failure of economists to improve their understanding of what actually happened in the Community’s industrial product markets. Since the late 1970’s this, attitude has changed radically, especially with respect to sectoral work and external competitiveness of industry. In addition, the literature on various aspects of EC trade, competition policy or industrial policy has also become voluminous by any measure.