r center dot cade - The resource centre for access to data on Europe. Creating a resource on Europe for UK academic researchers

Comparative research on urban and regional issues in Europe has often been hampered by problems of accessing comparable cross-national data. The Resou rce Centre for Access to Data on Europe (r(.)cade) was established at the U niversity of Durham in 1995 to seek to address this problem. This paper des cribes the original aims of the Centre and the ways in which these have bee n altered as it has subsequently evolved. It summarizes r(.)cade's achievem ents in providing European data for the academic research community, in par ticular via its unique collaborative alliance with Eurostat and the UK Offi ce of National Statistics, and discusses remaining difficulties and future threats and opportunities in a volatile political and technological environ ment.