European community developments

The drive to construct a European market free of trade barriers by 1992 is now proceeding. The article below discusses some of the challenges and opportunities which this radical opening up of the European market will present to every industrial and commercial organisation, and how to prepare for them. It goes on to outline the establishment by the EEC of new networks of information agencies and consultancy services which are intended to enable firms, particularly small firms, to obtain the fullest information and support to enable them to expand into the new European market and to take advantage of EEC loans and grants for R&D, training and other business activities. In a final section the article discusses the opportunities for managers and higher educational institutions in the COMETT and ERASMUS Programmes as they become fully operational.