Peter Robson is Honorary Professor of Economics in the University of St Andrews. He has held visiting professorships at the College of Europe and the Universities of Amsterdam and Clermont-Ferrand.

• 1 Introduction 2 The theory of customs unions and free trade areas 3 Broadening the framework 4 Customs unions versus unilateral tariff reduction 5 The rationale for the integration of other economic policies 6 The theory of common markets 7 The new economics of market integration 8 Transnational corporations and regional integration 9 Fiscal integration 10 Fiscal harmonization 11 Monetary integration 12 Equity, cohesion and convergence: regional issues 13 Economic integration in a global perspective: experience and initiatives