1 THE INTEGRATION OF SWEDEN TO THE EUROPEAN INTERNAL MARKET: A PROCESS EXAMINED THROUGH DATA FROM SMALL AND MEDIUM

This paper presents data from a series of surveys directed to small and medium sized firms in the Swedish manufacturing sector. The purpose of the research has been to capture indications of market integration. The last survey was conducted in March and April 2004. Therefore re-sults and analysis should be regarded as preliminary. Data suggest that the Internal Market's impact on manufacturing SMEs has been rather limited but increasing. In the spring of 2004, almost six out of ten firms had not been affected at all, but 10 % claimed that effects had been substantial. Activities in firms as response to integra-tion effects, however, fall in quantity between the questionnaires. A measure of the psychic distance between Sweden and certain other countries is presented. A comparison between the 1996 and 2004 data suggests that the perceived distance to most of the markets is reduced, but that this possible process of integration is not related to European Union membership.