ABSTRACT
During the 1990s European issues have entered the forefront of debate. The international competitive climate has made it difficult for individual countries to operate in isolation, resulting in ever increasing collaboration through the European Union. Reappraisal of the traditional roles of the nation-state has been required and this has led to tensions and conflicts. This is evident at the political level, for example in the splits within the British Conservative Party, and within the European population at large, as witnessed by the differences of opinion expressed in recent national referendums. However, a more European perspective is inevitable. Many collaborative activities are already in place, discussions on further EU responsibilities are well under way and there is a queue of countries wanting to join. The likely future scenario is for further expansion in both activities and geographical area. Urban planning will clearly be affected by this.
