in the five southern EEC countries, mountainous and disadvantaged areas under Mediterranean influence occupy large territories (56 million hectares, 27 million inhabitants). Major trends are demographic decline, depopulation and economic devitalisation. There are, however, local development centres which still demonstrate opportunities for ‘resistance’ to marginalisation. The MEDEF Network (Deprived Mediterranean) carried out a survey to identify these situations of resistance, after having characterised the region of study, which runs from Portugal to Greece. A selection of ten ‘cases of resistance to marginalisation’ made it possible to undertake so many monographs to highlight the factors and mechanisms of ‘resistance’ through a common methodology: highlighting the role of the social actors (individuals, businesses, associations, administrations, politicians, etc.) involved in these activities, analysing the means of mobilising local resources, evaluating the results of the development process. The selection criteria used led to roughly equal distribution of studies among the five countries and to the diversity of the economic situations in which ‘resistance’ manifests itself (diversity of physical environment, sectors, actors, etc.). This report summarises this analytical work. A comparison of the ten cases studied shows the internal and external factors that are decisive for the success of these local development initiatives: types of resources mobilised, strategies of social actors, mechanisms for valuing resources, market links, effects of public aid. On the basis of the characteristics, results and limitations of the cases studied, proposals for measures to strengthen resistance to marginalisation in the context, in particular, of Community rural development policies are developed.