The European Productivity Agency of the Oeec was created in 1953 to modernize the production systems of member countries. From the mid-1950s, the Agency set up projects to address the issue of backwardness in Southern Europe. The action aimed to support “underdeveloped” countries, while promoting market integration and politi-cal stabilization. First interventions involved pilot areas in Sardinia and in the Greek region of Epirus. The twin projects, though different from each other, both experiment-ed with methodologies aimed at development through capital and social investments.
Keywords: Development, underdevelopment, Oeec, Svimez, Sardinia, Epirus