It is evident that European earthquake engineering research and design practice is assuming a role of increasing importance on the international scene. This is primarily due to two considerations; firstly the emergence of a core of European earthquake engineers who are co-operating on a long-term basis for the development of seismic design criteria specific to the European environment and secondly the identification of new problems in existing design practice in the USA and in Japan. It is in this context that European earthquake engineering activities and publications are eagerly observed...