Geological research on the continental Permian in West Central and South Europe has been neglected in l l former days. Nevertheless, interest in it increased in the last twenty years and became important owing to the problems connected with continental sedimentation and also because of the important discoveries of oill gas and uranium deposits. Therefore, detailed inves­ l tigations in all countries where continental Permian appears have been made with the help of boreholes. These investigations included sedimentation basins in which the above-mentioned deposits are not expected. Consequently, the numerous results received in connec­ tion with still unanswered questions led to the idea to invite the specialists to a meeting. The first meeting was held in Pisa 1966 and a further one in 1 Vienna 1969. Both conferences exclusively dealed with the deposits of the Verrucano province, both in the Alps and Apennines. With respect to the importance of such meetings a further one was intended to be arranged in Mainz dealing with the whole continental Permian in West Central, and South Europe. With financial help l of the,NATO Scientific Affairs Division this meeting could be arranged as a NATO Advanced Study Institute.