The project aims to form a locally-focused vision of polycentric development in the Atlantic Area. The polycentric model finds its justification in the framework of a strategy to control the disparities in development between industrial ports and inland areas, the latter being characterized by farming. The project deals with the following problem areas: - Regions and the dynamics of relationships between them - Systems of production and innovation - Transport, especially intermodal - The administrative system of each region. The project will be developed in three phases: 1) A preparation and project-launch phase, integrating document and statistic gathering about the Atlantic Area. 2) An urban network and system identification phase which also aims at constructing a spatial and prospective vision of the organisation and the functioning of the Atlantic Area. 3) A phase to analyse the conditions of implementing and identifying the "subspaces" of the project, which will lead to strategic development recommendations and the working out of an polycentric Atlantic Area development scheme. Achievements: Creation of a study entitled "Development Scheme for the Atlantic Area" in 1000 copies in French and English, with a preface in four languages (French, English, Portuguese and Spanish). The study includes: ✔ The description of the territorial systems in the Atlantic Area, ✔ The strategic evaluation of the territorial systems, ✔ The possible changes in the Atlantic territories, ✔ The territorialized vision of the Atlantic polycentric model, ✔ Proposals and policy recommendations in favour of the polycentric construction.