EuroFIA meeting in Bucharest

The last EuroFIA meeting was held in Bucharest, Romania, on 1-2 June 2007. The group focused on the follow up to the EU green paper on "Modernising Labour Law", as well as on the latest draft of the Audiovisual Media Services directive, the issue of state aid in the film industry and on the private copying remuneration schemes. EuroFIA members welcomed the EU Commission communication extending the state aid regime for the film industry in Europe until 2009, but stressed the need to watch out for any possible ban of “territoriality” clauses after this date – which make national funding available on condition that a minimum percentage of the production budget is spent where the aid is given.

Emphasis was put on the need to clarify the status of the artist and to build on existing sources - including the European Parliament Resolution and the UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of the Artist – to give the EU member States a better understanding of how much the spread of atypical work in the industry is affecting the livelihood of performers. The group equally discussed a project submitted to the European Commission in the context of the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, which focuses on the portrayal of 40 plus women in theatre and television. This project involves a qualitative and quantitative research on gender portrayal, as well as two awareness-raising conferences that will take place in Latvia and the UK in 2008.

Finally, EuroFIA decided to work on a model EU contract for dancers, harmonising their minimum terms and conditions. The next EuroFIA meeting will take place in November 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.