Method for producing photopolymerisable, cylindrical, seamless flexographic printing elements, in which method a layer composite comprising at least b) an optionally photopolymerisable elastomeric carrier layer, at least containing an elastomeric binder, optionally ethylenically unsaturated monomers and a photoinitiator and optionally further additives, c) a photopolymerisable relief-forming layer, at least containing an elastomeric binder, ethylenically unsaturated monomers and a photoinitiator and optionally further additives, wherein in the photopolymerised state the relief-forming layer c) has a hardness of 30 to 70° Shore A and the elastomeric carrier layer b) has a hardness of 75° Shore A to 70° Shore D, wherein layer b) has a greater hardness than layer c) by at least 5° Shore A, and wherein the Shore hardness is determined in accordance with DIN 53505 on a stack of six 1 mm thick layers that have been photopolymerised by exposure to UVA light over the entire surface thereof for 15 minutes, is used as the starting material, and wherein the method comprises the following steps: (i) trimming the edges of the layer composites to be connected by means of mitre cuts, (ii) pushing and locking a hollow cylinder onto a rotatably mounted carrier cylinder, (iii) applying an adhesive layer a) to the outer surface of the hollow cylinder, (iv) applying the trimmed layer composite with the elastomeric carrier layer b) to the hollow cylinder provided with the adhesive layer, wherein the ends provided with the mitre cut lie substantially one on top of the other, but not do not overlap, (v) optionally pulling off a cover film from the photopolymerisable relief-forming layer c), (vi) joining the cut edges by bringing the surface of the photopolymerisable layer on the hollow cylinder into contact with a rotating calender roller while heating, until the cut edges are interconnected, (vii) pulling off the processed hollow cylinder from the carrier cylinder. b) an optionally photopolymerisable elastomeric carrier layer, at least containing an elastomeric binder, optionally ethylenically unsaturated monomers and a photoinitiator and optionally further additives, c) a photopolymerisable relief-forming layer, at least containing an elastomeric binder, ethylenically unsaturated monomers and a photoinitiator and optionally further additives, (i) trimming the edges of the layer composites to be connected by means of mitre cuts, (ii) pushing and locking a hollow cylinder onto a rotatably mounted carrier cylinder, (iii) applying an adhesive layer a) to the outer surface of the hollow cylinder, (iv) applying the trimmed layer composite with the elastomeric carrier layer b) to the hollow cylinder provided with the adhesive layer, wherein the ends provided with the mitre cut lie substantially one on top of the other, but not do not overlap, (v) optionally pulling off a cover film from the photopolymerisable relief-forming layer c), (vi) joining the cut edges by bringing the surface of the photopolymerisable layer on the hollow cylinder into contact with a rotating calender roller while heating, until the cut edges are interconnected, (vii) pulling off the processed hollow cylinder from the carrier cylinder.