The role of manufacturing in European cities has changed significantly in the past few decades. Cities now often increasingly focus on industries such as ICT, biotechnology, high-tech business and creative industries. However, manufacturing industries are still there. In many cities, they still take a significant share of the urban economy, although in a radically different form. Manufacturing industries have become an integrated part of regional, national and international production networks, and they are now fully fledged into the global knowledge based economy. This conference focuses on the question what this development implies for urban policy.