On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Berlin International Film Festival, international film producers (represented by the Fédération International des Associations des Producteurs de Films, FIAPF) and European film archives (represented by the Association des Cinémathèques Européennes, ACE), signed a framework agreement setting out new arrangements for the voluntary deposit of film and film materials in European archives.

The purpose of the new arrangements is to update the 1971 FIAPF contract for voluntary deposit, to take into account the new digital environment and the enlargement of the European Union. The framework agreement serves as a reference for the voluntary deposit of films and film materials and is complemented by a contract for bilateral negotiation between depositor and film archive.

The work carried out by ACE and FIAPF was supported by the European Commission's Audiovisual and Media Policy Unit. The President of ACE, Claudia Dillmann, said: 'We are happy to finally have reached this agreement, because it supports the work of the European film archives better than the 1971 contract. Without the commitment of all parties involved, we would never have achieved this goal'.

The President of FIAPF, Luis Alberto Scalella, added: 'This agreement is indeed a further consolidation of our co-operation with film archives. Producers worldwide recognise the indispensable and valuable work film archives carry out with respect to preservation of the film heritage. By way of this bilateral agreement, FIAPF and ACE offer a tool for the future deposit of film and film materials.'

The contract can be downloaded from ACE and FIAPF.