While solving the supersymmetric flavour problem, a U(2) flavour symmetry might be at the origin of the pattern of fermion masses and mixings. The consequences of this hypothesis are spelled out concerning the parameters of the CKM matrix and their observability in B- and K-physics. The relevance of searching for lepton flavour violation and for the electric dipole moments of the electron and the neutron is also emphasized. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.
