An attempt is made to review recent developments in the study of laminat plasma flow and its effect on toroidal plasma confinement. The topic is presently the object of active research, so that this summary will serve rather as a progress report of development. Discussion will almost exclusively concern the collision-dominated plasma case, as this has received most attention. The different approaches to the problem are classified and presented in such a way (the mathematical details have deliberately been suppressed) as to indicate the status of results which have been achieved, and to highlight the outstanding problems.