This is the first volume of a three—volume work that will deal with long—term prognoses for the concentrated urban area of Graz—Maribor, whereby three Styrian and three Slovenian regions will be studied in detail according to NUTS 3. Section A, which is dedicated to the current status of each particular region, undertakes a regional—economic analysis of the border urban area and also compares it to other European regions. This is followed by section B, which presents a comprehensive account, on a European, national and local level, of the basic conditions and methods needed for spatial and economic development. A depiction of the methods for generating prognoses of the future, as well as examples of regional foresight processes in other border areas, introduces section C, "Thoughts for the Future", in which the three main models for the border region will be presented.