The idea for the project ABCD was born out of the need to prepare European regions to the new Structural Funds programming period 2007 - 2013. Over the last couple of years, regions have seen themselves confronted with many new European policies including the Lisbon and Göteborg agendas. New forms of local governance and new partnerships are needed to deal with these challenges in order to improve regional development and interregional cooperation. With community resources being increasingly reduced, it is important to promote efficient and sustainable policies, which strengthen local economic development. Overall objective / Objectif général The project focuses on regional development policies and proposes a critical approach to the experiences gained in the past, and delivers ideas for future strategies during the 2007-2013 programming period, in order to achieve more efficient regional development policies. In concrete the project’s objective is to compare individual local development strategies and to identify strategic sectors inside which each partner has carried out its own pilot actions (in particular production sectors, urban regeneration, sustainable development strategies). The project intends to test new forms of governance and partnership, develop new methodologies in the area of development policies, and to explore new grounds for middle- or long-term cooperation opportunities among the partners. Expected results / Résultats attendus The partners are going to implement strategic pilot activities and projects, including the promotion and planning of footwear and jewel production which are considered strategic for the Balearic Islands; actions on sustainable urban regeneration in the Valencia region; activities related to local sustainable development in the case of the Sardinia Region and the implementation of four operational studies as a guide to local development for the 4th programming period. ABCD will assess the efficiency of actions financed through structural funds or other international cooperation funds. Strategic objectives for local development will be defined in order to promote innovative regional planning methods which the partners may implement in their own communities in the future.